Clinical characteristics of congenital and developmental cataract undergoing surgical treatment

To analyze the clinical characteristics of congenital/developmental cataract undergoing surgery.

A mail questionnaire was sent to 49 facilities engaged in surgical treatment of congenital cataracts, and data on preoperative clinical features were collected.

Twenty nine facilities reported on 864 eyes of 521 patients with congenital/infantile cataract, ranging in age at initial visit from 0 to 18.8 years (2.6 ± 3.3 years, mean ± standard deviation). Among the patients, 65.8 % had bilateral cataracts and 34.2 % were unilaterally affected. Family history was found for 22.4 % of cases, of which 98.1 % were bilateral. Family history was positive for 33.1 % of bilateral and 1.3 % of unilateral cases. The most common main complaint was white pupil for 35.7 % of bilateral cases and 32.7 % for unilateral cases. Concomitant systemic abnormalities were more frequently associated with bilateral cases (31.6 %) than with unilateral cases (16.7 %). Associated ocular diseases, such as strabismus, persistent fetal vasculature, and posterior lenticonus, were more frequently seen among unilateral cases whereas nystagmus was more common among bilateral cases.

Among congenital/developmental cataracts, the ratio of bilateral and unilateral cases was approximately 2:1. Almost all patients with a family history of congenital cataract were bilateral. Initial visits to a physician were rather late, 2.6 years from birth; this should be improved.