Complications of Pediatric Cataract Surgery

Postoperative complications associated with cataract surgery in children vary significantly from those typically seen in adults. Pediatric patients are at an increased risk of problems after intraocular surgery due to increased ocular elasticity, heightened inflammatory reactions, and an elevated risk of postoperative trauma. Any complication is particularly important to detect early in children due to the potential for aberrant development, which may result in decreased visual acuity. Further, complications arise throughout the immediate and extended postoperative periods that may be challenging to detect given the difficulty of the clinical examination of some young patients. Herein, we address common complications observed during the immediate postoperative period and during the months and years following cataract surgery in pediatric patients.