Glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery: An 18-year longitudinal follow-up

Purpose: To report the occurrence of postoperative glaucoma and to evaluate risk factors. Methods: Children born in four of the western counties of Sweden who were d iagnosed with congenital cataracts formed a cohort (n=137). The following p arameters were evaluated: age at cataract surgery; type of surgery; visual outcome; postoperative IOP; optic disc abnormalities; date of onset of the complication; number of reoperations, including treatment for secondary cat aract; presence of systemic anomalies; microphthalmus; and eye-related anom alies. Results: A diagnosis of glaucoma was recorded for 12% of the eyes. The mean follow-up time was 9.6 years. There is a relationship between surgery befo re the age of 10 days and development of glaucoma. Microphthalmus is an imp ortant risk factor as well. Conclusions: Despite modern surgical techniques the incidence of aphakic gl aucoma is 10% or higher. No time-dependent increase in the incidence of lat e-onset glaucoma between the 1980s and the 1990s could be proven.