Presence of pseudoexfoliation-like material in young patients

To describe the demographics and clinical profile of pseudoexfoliation-like (PXFL) material in young patients.

In this cross-sectional, hospital-based study, the participants were children aged ≤16 years who were observed to have PXFL material in at least one eye. The data of patients presenting between August 2010 and December 2021 were collected using an electronic medical record system and analyzed.

Seventy-five patients (87 eyes) aged ≤16 years were observed to have PXFL material. Unilateral involvement was seen in 72.4% of the eyes. Moreover, 96.5% of the eyes had undergone an intraocular procedure, with 49.4% having undergone a single intraocular procedure and 50.5% multiple intraocular procedures. Appearance of the PXFL material was noted 260 (4-728) weeks after the primary surgery. Glaucoma was seen in 26.4% of the eyes. The most common location of the PXFL material was the pupillary margin (72.4%) followed by the rest of the iris (27.5%).

Appearance of PXFL material in young patients has a close association with an intraocular procedure, with one-fourth of the cases having glaucoma. Stress should be laid on careful anterior segment examination of young patients who have undergone an intraocular procedure. The pathophysiology and prognosis are still unknown.