Results of surgery for bilateral cataract associated with sensory nystagmus in children.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcome of cataract surgery in children with bilateral cataract and preoperative sensory nystagmus.


METHODS
Interventional case series.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 95 children who underwent surgery for bilateral cataract associated with sensory nystagmus. All patients lacked other structural ocular defects or neurologic abnormalities and were old enough at last follow-up to cooperate with recognition visual acuity testing. Outcome parameters studied were best-corrected postoperative visual acuity of the better eye and postoperative reduction or elimination of nystagmus.


RESULTS
Mean age at surgery +/- SD was 2.0 +/- 2.6 years (range, 1 month to 13 years). Mean follow-up was 6.1 +/- 3.4 years (range, 2 months to 15 years). Best-corrected postoperative visual acuity of the better eye ranged from 20/25 to counting fingers and was 20/60 or better in 44 (46%), between 20/60 and 20/200 in 37 (39%), and 20/200 or worse in 14 (15%). Preoperative recognition visual acuity data were available for 16 of the older patients, and 5 or more lines of visual acuity improvement occurred in 5 (31%) including children as old as 9 years at the time of surgery. Nystagmus was reduced or eliminated postoperatively in 38 (40%). Mild, as opposed to severe, preoperative nystagmus was predictive of both a better visual acuity outcome (P =.004) and reduced or eliminated nystagmus postoperatively (P =.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Good or even excellent visual acuity can be achieved after cataract surgery in some children with bilateral cataract and sensory nystagmus, and the nystagmus sometimes improves postoperatively.
Rabiah
Peter K
PK
Department of Ophthalmology, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. pkrabiah@yahoo.com
Smith
Scott D
SD
Awad
Abdulaziz H
AH
Al-garni
Abdullah
A
Al-mesfer
Saleh A
SA
Al-turkmani
Shahira
S
D001036:Aphakia, Postcataract / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity