A survey of the surgical treatment of congenital and developmental cataracts in Japan.

Abstract

To understand the current practice pattern for the surgical treatment of congenital/developmental cataracts in Japan. A mail questionnaire was sent to facilities engaged in the surgical treatment of congenital cataracts in Japan. Thirty-four facilities reported their preferred methods for the surgical treatment of congenital cataracts, including data from 809 eyes of 508 patients who had undergone surgery. More than 85% of the respondents answered that they would consider surgery even if the visual prognosis was not promising because of possible form-deprivation amblyopia. The most commonly performed surgical maneuvers were scleral tunnel incision (88.4%), 3.0-mm or smaller incision (78.8%), manual anterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (90.2% success rate), posterior capsulotomy (92.5% for patients aged ≤6 years), anterior vitrectomy by the limbal approach (85.9% for patients aged ≤6 years), and wound closure with sutures (93.2%). Posterior capsulotomy and vitrectomy were not usually performed in patients aged >6 years. Implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL) was mostly indicated in patients aged 2 years or older. Implantation of an acrylic foldable IOL (76.6%) into the capsular bag (89.7%) was the most common practice among the surgeons. Small incision surgery with implantation of an acrylic foldable IOL into the capsular bag combined with posterior capsulotomy was the preferred surgical treatment of choice for congenital/developmental cataracts.