Visual outcomes of patients presenting with bilateral infantile cataracts and nystagmus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of cataract surgery in pediatric patients presenting with bilateral infantile cataracts and nystagmus.

DESIGN: Retrospective case study.

PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen pediatric patients who presented between September 2002 and February 2014 at a single tertiary care institution.

METHODS: Patients were included if they presented with bilateral visually significant cataracts and preoperative manifest nystagmus and had no other systemic or ocular condition that could explain the presence of the nystagmus. Data collected included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), etiology of cataracts, associated systemic/ocular conditions, status of strabismus, surgical complications, and presence of nystagmus.

RESULTS: Mean age at diagnosis of the cataracts was 8.1 ± 10.6 months. Mean age at surgery was 8.4 ± 10.5 months. Average length of follow-up was 54.3 ± 32.6 months. Twelve patients were left aphakic bilaterally; 1 patient received primary intraocular lenses bilaterally. Ten patients were able to perform visual acuity at the most recent visit, with 5 out of 10 having BCVA ≥20/40 in the better-seeing eye. Two patients had no visible nystagmus and 3 patients had latent nystagmus only at the most recent visit.

CONCLUSIONS: The presence of preoperative nystagmus does not preclude good visual outcomes in pediatric patients with cataracts.