Pediatric cataract and surgery outcomes in Central India: a hospital based study.

BACKGROUND: A review of pediatric cataract cases operated between January 2003 and March 2005 in the tribal belt of central India was carried out. AIM: We present the profile of cataract cases in children <or=18 years and postoperative visual status in the eyes operated upon. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a retrospective medical record retrieval type of cohort study in a hospital setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pediatric ophthalmologists examined children and operated eyes with cataract. The personal profile, preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative details were noted. The surgical procedures included cataract extraction, intraocular lens implantation, posterior capsulorrhaxis and anterior vitrectomy in most of the cases. We evaluated the visual status of eyes with cataract before and 6 weeks after surgery. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We used univariate type of parametric type of statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 575 eyes of 502 children had cataract. Cataract in 65 children was bilateral and in 437 cases it was unilateral. Congenital cataracts were in 88 (17.5%) eyes. Traumatic cataracts were noted in 170 (33.9%) eyes. The proportion of cataract was higher in males than in females. Variation in 'number of cataracts' among different age groups was noted. Vision following surgery was more than 6/18 in 84 (16.4%) eyes. The vision could not be assessed in 256 (44%) eyes. CONCLUSION: Improvement of child health care is needed for early detection of cataract in children. Role of rubella and trauma in childhood cataract should be investigated and addressed. Visual assessment and postoperative care should be further improved.