Postoperative complications and visual results in uniocular pediatric traumatic cataract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was prospectively carried out to eval uate the postoperative complications and visual results following posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) implantation in children with unilateral traumatic cataract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 40 children, 12 years or y ounger, with traumatic cataract (blunt trauma, n = 22 eyes, repaired penetr ating eye injury, n = 18 eyes) undergoing PCIOL implantation with a minimum follow-up period of one year. Children with posterior segment ocular injur y were excluded. RESULTS: The postoperative complications weresignificantly higher in the pe netrating eye injury group as compared to blunt trauma group tie, pupillary capture 44.44% vs 9.09%, posterior capsulotomy rate 83.33% vs 40.90% and I OL decentration 27.77% vs 4.54%). The final visual acuity was 6/12 or bette r in 38.8% and 86.36% of eyes with penetrating eye injury and blunt trauma, respectively. CONCLUSION: Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with PCIOL implantatio n in traumatic cataract following blunt trauma results in better visual out come and fewer complications compared to penetrating eye injury if the post erior segment is not involved.