title: Corneal endothelial cell characteristics after pediatric cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the corneal endothelial cell characteristics after pediatric cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series of 29 study eyes and 26 controls were evaluable. Specular microscopy was performed and endothelial cell features were correlated with clinical and surgical features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age at testing was 106 months in the study group and 116 months in the control group with a mean interval of 78 months after cataract surgery. Mean endothelial cell density in study eyes was 2,668 cells/mm(2) (control eyes, 3,002 cells/mm(2), P < .01). Mean coefficient of variation was 35% (control eyes, 31%, P < .01), and mean percentage of hexagonal cells was 40% (control eyes, 51%, P < .01). There was no significant difference based on age, duration since cataract surgery, contact lens use, glaucoma, number of intraocular procedures, or presence of intraocular lens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates endothelial cell loss with polymegathism and pleomorphism in children undergoing cataract surgery. This poses a risk of developing long-term corneal complications and hence close monitoring of the endothelial cell count is advisable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. aparnaramasubramanian@gmail.com
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramasubramanian
authors.forename: Iason
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mantagos
authors.forename: Deborah K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Vanderveen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002452:Cell Count; D048430:Cell Shape; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055954:Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008853:Microscopy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult