Congenital cataract and strabismus

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence, the clinical characteristics of strabismus that present after congenital cataract surgery and determine the efficieny of treatment. Materials and Methods: During the period from January 2009 to May 2013, 54 patients that applied to Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Department of Eye Diseases Center and underwent conjenital cataract surgery were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who had anterior segment pathology except cataract, retinal problem, and strabismus before the surgery were excluded from the research. The sex, age at cataract diagnosis, laterality, age at cataract surgery and IOL implantation, the interval between the time of cataract extraction and the diagnosis of strabismus, characteristics of strabismus and treatment were analyzed. Results: 54 patients were included in this study and 38 (70.4%) of whom are male, 16 (29.6%) of whom are female.The mean age at cataract diagnosis was 9.31 ± 14.50 months, median value was 4.29 (2.55?10.0) months. 45 patients had bilateral, 9 patients had unilateral congenital cataract. The mean age at cataract extraction 11.48 ± 14.35 months, median value was 7.30 (3.92?13.20) months. Secondary IOL implantation was performed in 36 patients, the mean age was 31.10 ± 9.38 months. Primer IOL implantation was performed in 5 (9.25%) patients. The mean interval between the time of cataract extraction and the diagnosis of strabismus was 27.35 ± 11.36 months. Strabismus developed in 31(57.4%) patients after cataract extraction. 17(54.8%) patients had esotropia, 14(45.2%) patients had exotropia. Strabismus surgery was performed in 3 patients. Conclusion: Development of strabismus is common in children undergoing congenital cataract surgery. To prevent this, attention should be increased on visual rehabilitation in postoperative period. Keywords: Congenital cataract, Strabismus, Visual rehabilitation.