[Cataract in uveitis in children]

To evaluate the anatomical and functional state of eyeballs after cataract extraction in uveitis in children and to analyze the factors affecting visual outcome.

Among 182 examined eyes with uveitis we have observed cataract in 22 eyeballs of 17 children (12%). Before operation in 72.7% cases visual acuity was less or equal 0.02, in the others it was not more than 0.2. The age of patients ranged between 2 and 18 years, the mean age 8 years. The cause of uveitis was: chronic tonsillitis or sinusitis in 6 patients, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in 2 patients, heterochromic Fuchs iridocyclitis in 2 children, in the others the cause was unknown. In 4 eyeballs (18%) we have observed increased intraocular pressure before operation. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 15 years, the mean was 5 years.

We have obtained normal visual acuity in 31.8% cases and better than 0.1 in 68.2% od eyes. In children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, 2 eyeballs lost light perception as a result of corpus vitreous fibrosis and in one case we have observed only light perception. Optic nerve glaucomatous neuropathy was the cause of poor functional result in 2 eyes (0.02 and 0.04). Another causes of not satisfactory visual acuity were: corneal dystrophy (2 eyes), cystoid macular oedema (2 eyes) and amblyopia ex anopsia (2 eyes).

We have obtained normal or good visual acuity in majority of the operated eyes. The causes of poor vision were the anatomical changes after uveitis before the cataract extraction.