A baby may have a smaller eye due to a birth defect called Microphthalmia. This condition occurs when one or both of the baby's eyes do not fully develop during pregnancy.
Understanding Microphthalmia
Based on medical information, Microphthalmia is defined as a birth defect where one or both eyes did not develop completely, resulting in them being small.
Essentially, Microphthalmia happens because the development of the baby's eye(s) is not completed as expected. This incomplete development leads to the affected eye being noticeably smaller than typical.
In summary, a smaller eye in a baby is often a sign of Microphthalmia, a condition directly caused by the incomplete development of the eye(s) while the baby was forming.