Bilateral hypocalcemic cataract after total thyroidectomy in a young woman: case report

BACKGROUND: Hypocalcemia is a derangement in serum calcium level due to a vast spectrum of disorders, but the most common cause is surgery, usually thyroid gland surgery. Symptoms of hypocalcemia can be due to increased neuromuscular excitation resulting in tetany, paresthesia or seizure. It can also be because of deposition of calcium in soft tissues producing reduced vision /cataract or calcification of basal ganglia. Cataract is the most common ocular symptom of hypocalcemia. CASE REPORT: A twenty-six years old Ethiopian female patient presented with painless reduction of vision of both eyes. Five years prior to the reduction of vision she was diagnosed to have hypocalcemia. The serum calcium level was very low (3 mg/dl) due to damage to the parathyroid gland during total thyroidectomy for toxic goiter. She has been on supplemental calcium gluconate twice daily. She had typical bilateral symmetrical posterior sub capsular cataract with punctate iridescent opacities in the anterior and posterior cortex of the lens. Systemic examination revealed horizontal surgical scar on the anterior neck and positive Chvostek sign.