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Zika-related problems continue to be a concern and based on recent reports, the after-effects continue to pile up.

Aside from microcephaly, a condition tied up to infants born with smaller (than usual) heads and brains, a new report singles out eye problems as another worry for newly born babies infected with the virus.

More sight problems revealed

For some, word of vision-related problems may be nothing new considering previous research had already found one-third of Brazilian babies with microcephaly having eye problems.

Among the eye problems already identified include that of ocular lesions, optic nerve abnormalities and chorioretinal atrophy, known as the withering of the retina and choroid. The choroid on the other hand is known as the one which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the retina.

The new eye-related issues

The latest report appends that the list of potential eye problems, taken from the same three infants involved in the first research. Among the new sight-related issues include retinal lesions, bleeding in the retina and abnormal blood vessel development in the retina.

The latest findings were published on May 25 at the journal Ophthalmology which should be a big help, especially for people who want to know more about the virus and its potential effects on children (particularly vision-related issues).

It should be also noted that despite the findings, authors have cautioned that it remains unclear whether the viral infection itself causes eye abnormalities or if they are a consequence of Zika-induced microcephaly.

"To my knowledge, the eye problems we found have not been associated with Zika virus before," said Darius Moshfeghi, M.D., senior author and a professor of ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "The next step is to differentiate what findings are related to the Zika virus itself versus microcephaly caused by the virus in order to better understand which infants will need screening."

With that constraint, researchers believe that the best measure to take right now is to have babies with microcephaly in Zika-hit areas to undergo proper examination by an ophthalmologist. The recommendation is in line with recent directives aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a related report, a new study from the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that microcephaly can affect unborn children by as much as 13%. The condition is normally a result of a a pregnant mother being infected by Zika contracted from an infected mosquito.