Role of Scheimpflug imaging for assessment of posterior lens capsule in pediatric traumatic cataract

PURPOSE: To find the accuracy of Scheimpflug imaging for the evaluation of posterior lens capsule and to assess the incidence of pre-existing posterior capsular tear (PCT) in pediatric traumatic cataracts. METHODS: It was a prospective, non-randomized, and interventional study. Scheimpflug imaging was done preoperatively to detect pre-existing PCT in pediatric traumatic cataracts after blunt trauma. All patients underwent cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation. Intraoperatively, the posterior capsule status was noted and compared with the preoperative Scheimpflug images. RESULTS: Forty-seven eyes of 47 children having traumatic cataracts following closed-globe injury were included. There were 32 males and 15 females with a mean age of 10.91 ± 2.75 years. The mean duration of performing the Scheimpflug imaging from injury was 41.7 ± 7.78 days. Preoperative Scheimpflug imaging showed intact posterior lens capsule in 36 eyes and PCT in 11 eyes. Intraoperative, 37 eyes had an intact posterior lens capsule and 10 eyes had PCT. The Scheimpflug imaging did not detect the PCT in three eyes (false-negative), and in four eyes, PCT was detected falsely on Scheimpflug imaging (false-positive). The sensitivity and specificity of the Scheimpflug imaging were 70 and 89.18%, respectively. The accuracy of the technique was 85.11%. CONCLUSION: Scheimpflug imaging is a useful modality for the detection of PCT preoperatively in cases with doubtful posterior lens capsule integrity.