Pediatric Cataract Surgery

by Jagat Ram, Gagandeep Singh Brar

The best way to manage cataracts in children has posed a challenge to ophthalmologists for more than half a century. Significant strides have been made in the past two decades resulting in refinement of surgical techniques and consequently improvement in outcomes. Most of the refinement in surgical management is an application of some of the same steps that have fine-tuned adult cataract surgery. Major problems associated with the management of pediatric cataract are selection of optimal surgical technique, planning for aphakia, handling of technically difficult surgery, calculation of intraocular lens power whenever pseudophakia is planned, and the arduous postoperative care necessary in these specialized patients. Planning for aphakia is one of the foremost challenges in these growing eyes. This book addresses issues of intraocular lens power as well as selection of type of intraocular lens. The socioeconomic status of parents of many children in developing countries would guide not only selection of intraocular lens, but also planning for aphakia as many parents may not be able to afford or provide optimal care for contact lens use in children. One of the major postoperative problems has been the development of posterior capsule opacification which is practically universal in children without posterior capsulotomy. A primary posterior capsulotomy with anterior vitrectomy has greatly reduced this vision threatening complication. Aggressive amblyopia management in the postoperative period allows us to achieve good final visual outcomes in not only the bilateral cataracts but also in majority of the unilateral cataracts.

ADD TO FAVOURITES