MANAGEMENT OF TRAUMATIC CATARACT IN CHILDREN

Purpose: To evaluate the presentation, mode of management, and clinica l outcome of traumatic cataract in children. Setting: L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. Methods: One hundred thirty-seven childre n (<16 years) who developed traumatic cataract, seen between January 1 988 and December 1993, were retrospectively analyzed. Nature of injury , type of cataract, management, and outcome were evaluated. Results: T he study group comprised 110 boys and 27 girls. Average follow-up was 11.7 months (range 1 week to 60 months). Most injuries (54.7%) were ca used by a stick or a bow and arrow. Most (53.2%) of the cataracts were total. Corneal scarring (60.5%) and iris-related problems (49.6%) wer e the most common associated findings. Extracapsular cataract extracti on with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation was performed in 65.67% of patients. Visual acuity improved from 20/200 or worse in 97.7% of pat ients preoperatively to 20/60 or better in 74.1% of patients postopera tively. Seventeen patients had associated posterior segment insult; mo st failed to recover satisfactory vision. Posterior capsule opacificat ion (PCO) was noted in 42.9% of patients. Conclusions: Extracapsular c ataract extraction with IOL implantation provides satisfactory results in children with traumatic cataract. Associated posterior segment com plications and development of PCO are the major obstacles to visual re habilitation.