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Pediatric cataract surgery poses risk for secondary glaucoma, study finds

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Secondary glaucoma can be a serious complication after surgery for congenital cataracts in children, according to a study by researchers in Australia.

"It is imperative that these patients get lifelong surveillance, as glaucoma can occur years after the initial operation," the authors said.

Frank Billson, FRCOphth, and colleagues reviewed medical records for 423 eyes of 283 patients aged 16 years or younger who underwent cataract surgery with or without IOL implantation for congenital cataracts. The researchers sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with secondary glaucoma after cataract surgery.

At 6.3 years mean follow-up, glaucoma had developed in 36 patients (15.4%). The average time to glaucoma onset was 4.9 years, the authors reported.

According to multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis, age younger than 9 months at surgery (P = .03), microcornea (P < .001) and follow-up time were significant predictors of glaucoma. However, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous and primary posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy were not identified as significant risk factors, according to the study, published in the December issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology.