Strabismus following bilateral cataract surgery in childhood.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical characteristics of strabismus in children undergoing bilateral cataract surgery.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 56 children undergoing bilateral cataract surgery who had no evidence of strabismus before the surgery and a difference of less than two Snellen lines in postoperative best-corrected visual acuity between the two eyes.


RESULTS
Strabismus developed in 31 (55.4%) patients after cataract extraction. Age at the time of cataract diagnosis (P = 0.006) and extraction (P = 0.025) was significantly lower in the strabismus group than in the no-strabismus group. Exotropia (45.2%) was the prevalent type of strabismus, followed by esotropia (35.5%). Patients with cataracts extracted within the first 12 months of life comprised 51.6% of the strabismus group and 20% of the no-strabismus group (P = 0.026). Strabismus surgery was performed in 11 patients. In five aphakic patients with strabismus, the angle of deviation decreased significantly after secondary intraocular lens implantation, and strabismus surgery was not required.


CONCLUSIONS
Strabismus is a frequent complication following bilateral cataract surgery in childhood. Children undergoing bilateral cataract surgery, especially at an early age, should be followed carefully for the development of strabismus.
Park
Shin Hae
SH
Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Na
Jung Hwa
JH
Shin
Sun Young
SY
D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013285:Strabismus / Q000209:etiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology