Clinical characteristics of congenital and developmental cataract in Kazakhstan

PURPOSE: To study and describe clinical characteristics of congenital and developmental cataract at a tertiary eye care facility. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 942 children (1311 eyes) presenting with congenital/developmental cataract over a 10-year study period were included. Gender, age at surgery, main presenting complaint, morphologic type of cataract, laterality, family history, and associated findings were recorded. RESULTS: The overall proportion of boys and girls undergoing cataract surgery was approximately equal (P = 0.110). However, in the cases of bilateral cataract, the proportion of boys was larger than girls (P = 0.028). More than half (62.3%) of the patients underwent surgery at the age of >3 years. The main presenting complaint was white pupils, accounting for 48.1% of cases. Total cataract was the most common morphologic type in all age groups. In total, 133 children out of 942 (14.1%) had a positive family history of congenital/developmental cataract. Strabismus and nystagmus were seen in 27.2% and 19.3% of the eyes, respectively. Additional ocular dysmorphology was found in 97 (10.3%) of patients. Coexisting systemic disease was found in 149 (15.8%) cases. Among syndrome-associated cataracts, Down syndrome accounted for the majority of cases. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of total cataracts as well as frequent association with strabismus and nystagmus are likely to be the consequences of delayed presentation.