2M.D., Drashti Netralaya, Retina, Dahod- Gujarad/INDIA Purpose: To study the effect of age of intervention on visual outcome following treatment of pediatric patients with cataract.
Material and Methods: A study was done on a consecutive series of pediatric patients with congenital, developing and complicated cataracts who underwent surgery between January, 1999 and April, 2012 at our center. Patient demographics, cataract type, presenting symptoms, surgical intervention, postoperative visual acuity, and follow-up refractive changes were recorded.
Results: In total, 1305 eyes of 1047 children were included: unilateral cataracts were present in 786 (60.2%) eyes. Amongst total cases, 600 (46.7%) were traumatic and 705 (53.3%) non-traumatic. Age at the time of surgery ranged from 1 to 215 months. Eyes were grouped by the age at which surgical intervention (either by anterior route or pars plana route- with or without IOL implantation) was made. Group 1(5 years) had 528 (74.9%) eyes. The mean follow-up time was 117 days. Ultimately, 128 eyes (18.2%) in Group 1 and 213 eyes in (30.2%) Group achieved a visual acuity better than 20/80 (P < 0.001). Visual outcome was noticeably and significantly related to the age at which surgical intervention was done.
Conclusions: Age of intervention affects visual outcome significantly (p<0.001).
Keywords : Pediatric cataract; visual outcome; age of intervention