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The incidence of glaucoma following paediatric cataract surgery: a 20-year retrospective study

A Tatham1, N Odedra, S Tayebjee

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leicester, Infirmary Square, Leicester, UK. andrewtatham@yahoo.co.uk

Eye (London, England)
|April 24, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric cataract surgery in children aged 14 or less showed a low incidence of glaucoma. Early surgery, even within the first 6 weeks of life, did not increase glaucoma risk.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Glaucoma Research

Background:

  • Congenital and developmental cataracts require surgical intervention in children.
  • The risk of secondary glaucoma following pediatric cataract extraction is a significant concern.
  • Variability in glaucoma prevalence necessitates further investigation into risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of glaucoma in children after cataract surgery.
  • To assess if early surgical intervention (within the first 50 days of life) increases glaucoma risk.
  • To identify potential risk factors for glaucoma beyond surgical timing.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (≤14 years) undergoing cataract surgery over 20 years.
  • Patients categorized into three age groups at surgery: ≤50 days, 51 days–1 year, and 1–14 years.
  • Analysis of glaucoma development with a median follow-up of 4.9 years.

Main Results:

  • 100 eyes from 71 children were analyzed; 2% developed glaucoma post-surgery.
  • No glaucoma cases were observed in eyes operated on at ≤50 days of age.
  • One patient in the 51-day to 1-year group developed bilateral glaucoma 11 years post-surgery.

Conclusions:

  • The incidence of glaucoma after pediatric cataract surgery in this series was low.
  • Surgery within the first 6 weeks of life was not associated with an increased risk of glaucoma.
  • Factors other than age at surgery appear to be crucial in the development of glaucoma.
Abstract

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