title: Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in patients with oculocutaneous albinism.
abstract: To evaluate the benefits of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in patients with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).
  
  
  
  The charts of 195 patients with OCA who visited a local eye clinic were reviewed. All of these patients had genetic linkage analysis to establish OCA type. Frequencies and Paired t-test analysis were determined.
  
  
  
  Of the 195 patients, nine (4.6%) underwent clear cornea phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Seven of the nine patients with OCA had the Hermansky-Pudlak (HPS) type 1; two had OCA type 1. Pre-operative BCVA of all eyes ranged from 1.0 to 2.3 logMAR with a mean of 1.42 logMAR and a standard deviation of 0.41 logMAR. Post-operative BCVA of all eyes ranged from 1.0 to 1.30 logMAR with a mean of 1.04 logMAR and a standard deviation of 0.10 logMAR. BCVA improved after phacoemulsification surgery and intraocular lens implantation (p = 0.002). Pre-operative astigmatism of all eyes ranged from +0.50 to +5.75 with a mean of +2.25 and a standard deviation of +2.40. Post-operative astigmatism of all eyes ranged from +0.50 to +2.00 with a mean of +1.23 and a standard deviation of +0.42. Astigmatism improved after phacoemulsification surgery and intraocular lens implantation (p = 0.05).
  
  
  
  Nine patients with OCA who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implant experienced improved visual acuity and reduced astigmatism post-operatively. These results suggest cataract surgery may improve vision and refractive errors, and thus quality of life, in patients with albinism.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico , San Juan , Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dávila
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico , San Juan , Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ulloa-Padilla
authors.affiliation: c Department of Surgery , School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico , San Juan , Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Natalio J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016115:Albinism, Oculocutaneous / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Astigmatism; Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome; cataract surgery; oculocutaneous albinism; phacoemulsification