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Unilateral, isolated, paediatric lightning-induced cataract: a case report
1Division of Ophthalmology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the University of Cape Town, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine
|May 19, 2012
Summary
A six-year-old girl developed a unilateral cataract after a lightning strike. Surgical intervention restored vision, highlighting lightning as a rare cause of pediatric eye injury.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Traumatology
Background:
- Lightning strikes can cause various injuries, including ocular trauma.
- Pediatric eye injuries require specific diagnostic and management approaches.
Observation:
- A six-year-old girl presented with progressive vision loss in her left eye.
- Examination revealed a dense left cataract and healed burn marks on her face and limbs, one year post-lightning strike.
- The right eye was unaffected, with no other ocular abnormalities noted.
Findings:
- The patient's unilateral cataract was directly attributed to the lightning strike.
- Cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation successfully restored vision in the affected eye.
Implications:
- This case underscores lightning as a potential, albeit rare, cause of isolated, unilateral pediatric cataracts.
- Ophthalmologists should consider lightning-induced trauma in the differential diagnosis of pediatric cataracts, especially after a history of electrical injury.
- Prompt surgical management can lead to favorable visual outcomes in such cases.
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