Transient Cataract Research Articles

A Self-Resolving Transient Cataract After Pars Plana Vitrectomy

A Self-Resolving Transient Cataract After Pars Plana Vitrectomy

Transient bilateral cataract during intensive glucose control: a case report

BackgroundCataracts are generally known to occur in hyperglycemic conditions in diabetic patients. In this case, cataract occurred in the course of glucose level control in a patient who had been in a hyperglycemic state.Case presentationA 42-year-old Korean man who had uncontrolled diabetes for more than a year presented with bilateral posterior subcapsular cataracts, which developed within days of initiating antihyperglycemic therapy. With control of his serum glucose level for several weeks, the cataracts regressed.ConclusionsTransient cataracts can develop during the hypoglycemic state; prompt surgery should be deferred.

Transient, profound cataract associated with intracameral 5-fluorouracil

PurposeTo report a transient cataract after bleb needling and subconjunctival injection of 5-fluorouracil. DesignObservational case report. MethodsA 51-year-old man had an encapsulated bleb after filtering surgery. The bleb was needled, and 5 mg of 5-fluorouracil was injected adjacent to the bleb. ResultsWithin 5 minutes, vision fell to finger counting at 1 foot owing to anterior lens capsule opacification. The next day, acuity and lens clarity had returned to their preneedling status. Best-corrected acuity 7 months later was 20/15. ConclusionEntry of 5-fluorouracil into the anterior chamber after bleb needling can cause transient lens opacification. Recently, intracameral 5-fluorouracil was reported as a new treatment for epithelial ingrowth. Given the transient cataract observed in this case, the use of 5-fluorouracil for epithelial ingrowth should be considered with caution for phakic patients.

Neutral and Acidic Glycosphingolipids in Glucocorticoid-induced Cataract in Chick Lens

Administration of glucocorticoids induces transient cataract in 15-day-old chick embryos within 48 hr, and the opaque lens again becomes clear within the subsequent 48 hr. Oxidative stress is likely to be involved in the process of cataract formation, resulting in the appearance of numerous vacuoles around the perinuclear region. Chick lens contained low amounts of glycosphingolipids, which mainly consists of GM3, GD3, sialyl-LewisXgangliosides and glucosylceramide. Most lens gangliosides were immunohistochemically detected in lens epithelia, annular pads and developing fibers, but not in perinuclear and nuclear regions. Since cell surface gangliosides, for example GM3 and sialyl-LewisXgangliosides, are involved in cell adhesion, weak cell-to-cell interactions in the perinuclear and nuclear regions may allow vacuole formation in steroid-induced cataractogenesis.

Morphological study on glucocorticoid-induced cataract in developing chick embryo

Nishigori et al. reported a transient cataract model after administering glucocorticoid to a 15-day-old chick. Biochemically, the mechanism of onset of this cataract was though to be related to damage caused by the formation of oxidative stresses and by a protein-water phase separation. There appear to be no reports on changes in the fine structure. After hydrocortisone succinate sodium was administered to 15-day-old chick embryos, the lenses were removed at 12, 24, 30, 48, 72 and 96 h and put in 4% glutaraldehyde. The specimens were examined by light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Twelve to 24 h after administration to chick embryos, lens fibers containing electron-dense cytoplasm began to appear in the bow area of the equator and were still present thereafter. Thirty to 48 h after administration, numerous vacuoles of varying sizes began to appear in the lens in sites corresponding to the opaque region. These vacuoles, ranging from 2 to 8 microns in diameter, were distributed in the intercellular spaces between the lens fibers. The vacuoles had disappeared by 96 h after administration, but during that period, the height of the epithelial cells in the equatorial region and the elongation of the equatorial lens fibers had become irregular. Transient opacity was due to the presence of vacuoles of various sizes, occurring in the intercellular space between the lens fibers around the lens nucleus. Moreover, the effect of glucocorticoid administration was noted in the lens epithelium and the lens fibers in the equatorial region.

Transient hyperopia with lens swelling at initial therapy in diabetes.

The clinical courses of 10 eyes of five diabetic patients who exhibited bilateral transient hyperopia (maximum: 1:1-4.9 dioptres, spherical equivalent) after initiation of strict control of diabetes with or without insulin are reported. The hyperopia occurred within a few days after abrupt decrease in plasma glucose, progressed to maximum at days 7-14, and regressed gradually over 1 month thereafter. Transient cycloplegia had no effect on refractive error. During hyperopia, there were no significant changes in axial length or corneal curvature. However, thickened lens, decreased anterior chamber depth, and transient cataract were observed to significant degrees. It is suggested that the transient hyperopia, with lens swelling and opacity, was caused by decreased lens refractive index following water influx.