Conventional Approach Versus Lensectomy with Anterior Vitrectomy in Congenital Cataract - A Comparative Study from Meerut, India

Abstract

BACKGROUND We wanted to compare lensectomy with anterior vitrectomy and conventional methods in the surgical management of congenital cataract. METHODS The present study is an interventional analytical study that entailed 30 patients (33 eyes) of bilateral or unilateral congenital cataract who attended the Ophthalmology outpatient department of LLRM Medical College, Meerut, during the period extending from March 2018 to March 2019. 19 of these patients (63.3 %) were males while 11 (36.7 %) were females. Age of the patients varied from 2 years to 12 years, with a mean age of 5 years 7 months. The maximum number of patients was in the age group of 4 - 8 years in either sex. RESULTS Being a comparative analysis, this study had 39.3 % cases treated by conventional methods and 60.7 % cases managed by lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy. The visual acuity was compared in the conventionally treated patients and lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy treated patients. Amongst the patients managed by conventional methods, 37.5 % had good vision, 12.5 % had fair vision and 50.0 % poor vision. In the lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy treated group, 61.1 % cases had good vision, 22.2 % had fair vision and only 16.7 % had poor vision. Comparing the occurrence of complications in both groups, the conventionally treated group showed an incidence of 32.4 % as compared to 4.4 % in lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy treated group. CONCLUSIONS The lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy treated groups had good vision and fewer complications as compared to the conventional methods. KEY WORDS Cataract, Visual Acuity, Lensectomy, Vitrectomy