One of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide is cataract or gradual change in the clarity of the natural lens inside the eye. Contrary to general belief, cataract or lens opacity may develop at any stage in life even in children. Children can be born with cataracts or develop them in their early years Some children may even be born with cataracts due to other medical reasons such as infections experienced by a mother during pregnancy or other genetic causes.Essentially, treatment of cataract in both children and adults is similar, with a slight difference in the surgical technique. The important thing to remember is that unlike cataracts in adult, which can wait to be treated, cataracts must be treated without any delay as this delay may cause a permanent visual disability. Through early and skilfull cataract surgery, this visual disability can be prevented in children. In all age groups, skillful and appropriate surgery and artificial lens implantation is what results in excellent visual outcomes and restores the ability to see clearly over a lifetime.
Cataract surgery in children, unlike in adults, is almost always done in general anesthesia. Adults usually can easily have this surgery performed with local (periocular anesthetic injection) or topical anesthesia which means using anesthetic eye drops to give adequate anesthesia.
Prior to surgery there are certain calculations required to determine the most appropriate power of the artificial lens to be implanted for each particular patient. The type of lens, monofocal, toric for astigmatism, mutli-focal or tri-focal lens is selected by the surgeon, keeping in mind the vision requirement of the individual patient given their activities of daily living. This will be discussed with the patient before the surgery in great detail so both patient and surgeon can together reach the most suitable, comfortable and safest conclusion
Once surgery is done, you may or may not require spectacles for the vast majority of visual needs. The type of lens implanted will determine this. For children, unlike adults, spectacles are almost always prescribed to give them the best possible vision during their formative years.
Appropriate and skillful cataract surgery is a very safe and rewarding surgical procedure for patients enabling them to utilize and preserve their best possible quality of vision over their lifetime.
Author Dr. S. Aisha Bokhari
Dr. S. Aisha Bokhari is The Eye Center’s Consultant Ophthalmologist, Anterior segment & Oculoplastic surgeon. She has expertise in Pediatric and Adult ophthalmology including cataract surgery, strabismus (squint) surgery, oculoplastics, aesthetic or cosmetic surgery and trauma repair. She is exceptionally well trained in a vast array of micro surgical ocular procedures, including phacoemulsification, cornea and refractive surgery and other anterior segment surgeries.
With a special interest in oculoplastics, she has clinical expertise in peri-ocular cosmesis, including Botox injections for upper face conditions such as frown lines, crows feet, hemifacial spasms.
Dr. Bokhari holds a Fellowship in Ophthalmology from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow (United Kingdom).
To book an appointment with Dr. Aisha Bokhari or any of our eye specialists please contact us at 0302 8291799, 0304 1119544, 0300 8933377, 03000822218, 021 35836713 or contact us at our website at www.surgicaleyecenter.org