Outcomes of Paediatric Cataract Surgery in Southern Jordan

Abstract

Background: Congenital cataract is the leading global cause of preventable childhood blindness, and the onset of infantile and congenital cataracts is rare. Managing congenital cataracts is still challenging due to associated complications. Objective: This study aimed to assess the outcomes of congenital cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation in southern Jordan. Methods: A retrospective case series included 20 children with congenital cataracts who underwent lensectomy, aged between 1 to 5 years, recruited using a purposive sampling technique. The mean age was 2.9 years ± 1.4. Intraocular pressure was measured preoperatively at baseline and then every three months, followed up postoperatively until one year. Schiotz tonometer is used to measure intraocular pressure. Results: The distribution of IOP and change in IOP values at baseline and post-operative follow-ups showed statistically significantly higher IOP values at three months of follow-up (P=0.03) and the last follow-up visit at 12 months (P=0.001). The results showed a statistically significant increase from baseline in the IOP of the unilateral cataract eye compared to its normal fellow eye (P=0.028). The post-operative evaluation showed that 14 patients demonstrated twenty-seven post-operative complications. Four eyes (14.2%) with posterior synechiae, 2 (7.1%) with anterior synechiae, 3 (10.7%) with decentration of IOL, 8 (28.6%) with pigment on IOL, 3 (10.7%) with transient corneal oedema and 7 (25%) developed post-operative glaucoma. Conclusion: We concluded that post-operative follow-up of one year in pediatric patients treated with congenital cataract surgery showed a significant increase in intraocular pressure.