Pediatric cataract surgery: considerations and updates in diagnosis and management

Abstract

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide an overview of updates in the diagnosis and management of pediatric cataracts, with an emphasis on recent discoveries in the last two years. Recent findingsPediatric cataracts remain an infrequent but significant disease with vision threatening consequences. Although much of the management has not changed historically, more recent updates, particularly borrowed from adult cataract management, have influenced the field of cataract management in children. Even these studies emphasize that pediatric cataracts are a distinct clinical entity from adult-onset cataracts, and further research is needed to optimize the diagnosis and management of cataracts in childhood. SummaryThis is an overview of the recent advancements in the diagnosis of management of pediatric cataracts, with advancements that originate from the adult cataract surgery field in addition to studies that challenge classical surgical techniques to make cataract surgery safer and to promote amblyopia therapy.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery for complex cataracts – A review

“…There are other considerations in a pediatric cataract, including the extra elastic lens capsules, frequent need for primary posterior capsulotomy, and postoperative capsular phimosis. [ 74 ] Karas et al [ 72 ] described performing anterior capsulotomy using the LenSx ® system (4.8 mm capsulotomy size, 5 µJ pulse energy) on a 6-year-old child with anterior polar cataract. Elsewhere, Dick et al [ 75 ] and Dick and Schultz[ 76 ] performed posterior capsulotomies on children using the Catalys ™ system (incision depth 800–1000 µm, diameter between 3.2 and 4.7 mm, pulse energy 8–10 µJ).…”