Clinical Features and Outcomes of Congenital Cataract Surgery with Primary Intraocular Lens Implantation in a Tunisian Cohort
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: To describe the clinical features of congenital cataract (CC) in a Tunisian cohort and to assess the surgical outcomes of primary intraocular lens implantation in two groups based on the age at surgery. Methods: This study was a prospective analysis of children under 5 years with CC that were operated between January 2015 and 2020. The surgery consisted of phacoaspiration with posterior capsulorhexis and primary implantation. Group 1 comprised children operated at <2 years of age and Group 2 comprised children operated between 2 and 5 years. Peri and postoperative surgical events as well as refractive and visual outcomes were compared between both the groups. Results: Fifty-five (84 eyes) infants were enrolled. Group 1 included 30 (48 eyes) children and Group 2 included 25 (36 eyes) patients. The mean follow-up was 27.60 ± 19.89 months. The mean delay between the diagnosis and the cataract surgery was 11.97 ± 13.84 months. Of 14 (16.7%) eyes with postoperative visual axis opacification (VAO), 9 (10.7%) eyes required pars plana membranectomy. The VAO was not statistically associated with the age at surgery ( P = 0.112), but significantly correlated with sulcus implantation ( P = 0.037). The final mean visual acuity was 0.51 logMAR and comparable between both the groups ( P = 0.871). Poor visual outcome was significantly associated with low age at presentation (<6 months; P = 0.039), delay between the diagnosis and time of surgery ( P = 0.001), preoperative nystagmus ( P = 0.02), and poor parental compliance to amblyopia treatment ( P = 0.009). Conclusions: Primary implantation seems to be safe and efficient. VAO appears to become an avoidable occurrence owing to better surgical techniques. Amblyopia remains the biggest barrier to final visual outcome.
Source: Journal of Current Ophthalmology
Authors: Ines Malek, Jihene Sayadi, Takwa Sammouda, Racem Choura, Manel Mekni, Imen Zghal, Moncef Khairallah, Leila Nacef
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4288059645