Visual outcomes and complications of congenital cataract surgery

To describe the visual results and postoperative complications of congenital cataract surgeries performed between 2005 and 2016.

A retrospective consecutive case series of congenital cataract surgeries was carried out at the Dijon University Hospital in France. Intraocular lens implantation was primary or secondary according to age. Pre- and post-operative assessment was performed through ophthalmologic consultations with orthoptic measurements. Visual function and adverse events were recorded.

Fifty-six consecutive procedures were evaluated in 37 infants. Overall, 26.8% of patients had unilateral cataracts, and 73.2% had bilateral cataracts. Median age at surgery was 1.0 years [IQR (interquartile range): 0.3-5.2] and 2.7 years [IQR: 0.4-9.5] for unilateral and bilateral cataracts, respectively. Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the last follow-up was 0.5logMAR [IQR: 0.2-0.8] and 0.1logMAR [IQR: 0.0-0.8] for the unilateral and bilateral group, respectively. Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was the primary postoperative complication: 60.0% in unilateral cataract and 46.3% in bilateral cataracts (P=0.019). Median follow-up was 2.0 years [IQR: 1.0-5.0].

Congenital cataract surgery appears to be safe and effective when combined with early, conscientious amblyopia treatment. Bilateral congenital cataracts had better visual outcome than unilateral cataract.