Cataract Awareness Month: Risk factors in pediatric cataract surgery, dry eye care, more
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Prevent Blindness has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month, and the organization reports that cataract — the primary cause of vision loss in the U.S. — affects more than 20 million Americans aged 40 years and older.
“As we age, we are more likely to develop cataract,” Jeff Todd, CEO of Prevent Blindness, said in an organization press release. “The good news is that surgery is highly effective.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed worldwide and improves vision for 97% of patients.
In recognition of Cataract Awareness Month, Healio has compiled a list of our most recent cataract surgery coverage.
Young age, Black race among risk factors for glaucoma following pediatric cataract surgery
Age younger than 1 year at the time of cataract surgery, aphakia, Black race and unilateral cataract appeared linked to higher risk for developing pediatric glaucoma, according to a study published in Ophthalmology Glaucoma.
“Because childhood glaucoma is a rare group of diseases, of which GFCS is the most common iatrogenic cause, we investigated the IRIS Registry, the largest ophthalmic registry, to compare nationwide demographic, clinical and surgical patterns that were associated with GFCS between infants, toddlers and older children,” Daniel M. Vu, MD, associate fellowship director at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and colleagues wrote. Read more.
Better visual outcomes with toric IOLs vs. nontoric IOLs, corneal relaxing incisions
Toric monofocal IOLs resulted in better uncorrected distance visual acuity and lower postoperative cylinder compared with nontoric multifocal IOLs and were more effective than corneal relaxing incisions, according to a literature review.
“The purpose of this assessment by the Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee Refractive Management/Intervention Panel is to review the published literature on the visual and refractive outcomes and the rotational stability of eyes implanted with toric monofocal IOLs for the correction of astigmatism during cataract surgery and to compare those outcomes with those in eyes implanted with nontoric monofocal IOLs and other astigmatism management methods,” Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD, an ophthalmologist and surgeon at Whitsett Vision Group and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, and colleagues wrote in Ophthalmology. Read more.
No significant differences in keratometry measurements in patients with, without dry eye
Researchers found no significant differences in keratometry measurements before cataract surgery among patients with dry eye disease vs. those without, according to a study conducted in Norway and published in Clinical Ophthalmology.
“The primary objective of this study was to assess whether the variability in anterior keratometry measurements from three different optical biometers was higher in patients with dry eyes compared to patients with non-dry eyes,” Christian Nilsen, MD, an ophthalmologist at Ifocus Eye Clinic in Haugesund, Norway, and colleagues wrote. “The secondary objective was to investigate which separate signs of dry eyes affected the biometric measurements.” Read more.
BLOG: What is ‘true’ lens exfoliation?
In a recent article, blogger Oliver Kuhn-Wilken, OD, wrote, “Most optometrists are familiar with pseudoexfoliation, a flaking anterior lens capsule that signals a higher risk for glaucoma, loose zonules and even cardiovascular disease and dementia.
“However, ‘pseudo’ comes from a Greek root word meaning ‘false.’ So, if pseudoexfoliation is a false lens exfoliation, what is real exfoliation?” Read more.
Combined cataract surgery with iStent inject reduces medication burden in glaucoma
The addition of iStent inject, an ab interno trabecular micro-bypass device, to cataract surgery reduced ocular hypotensive medication usage among patients with glaucoma, according to a study published in Ophthalmology Glaucoma.
The aim of the study was “to assess the efficacy for lowering IOP, reducing glaucoma medication and improving quality of life outcomes at 2 years following the implantation of the second-generation trabecular micro-bypass stent system in patients with mild to moderate open angle glaucoma and cataract in a tertiary Australian population,” Jennifer C. Fan Gaskin, MD, FRANZCO, a research fellow at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, and colleagues wrote. Read more.
Cyclosporine superior to artificial tears for treating dry eye after cataract surgery
Cyclosporine 0.05% outperformed artificial tears in improving tear film quality and stability in the treatment of dry eye disease after cataract surgery, according to a study published in Annals of Medicine & Surgery.
“Previous studies have determined different management strategies for dry eyes using cyclosporine 0.05% or artificial tears,” Hanieh Ahmadi, MD, a faculty member in the department of ophthalmology at Bu-Ali Sina Hospital in Iran, and colleagues wrote. “However, direct comparisons of the clinical efficacy of cyclosporine in enhancing tear secretion and artificial tears in increasing tear volume for the treatment of dry eye after cataract surgery have rarely been reported. Read more.
BLOG: How to get multifocal results with monofocal IOLs
In another recent blog, Kuhn-Wilken talked about his father’s experience with cataract surgery.
“After my dad got cataract surgery with monofocal IOLs aimed for plano, he wasn’t supposed to be able to read without glasses. And yet, to his utter delight, he could,” Kuhn-Wilken wrote.
“We strenuously warn all cataract patients who elect to receive a standard monofocal IOL with a plano target that they will be absolutely dependent on readers or bifocals for all near tasks. However, every clinician knows that a small percentage of these patients will happily inform them after the surgery, ‘Doc, I can read without glasses!’ How does this happen, and can you predict before the surgery who will get this unexpected benefit?” Read more.
References:
- Prevent Blindness declares June as Cataract Awareness Month to educate the public on eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. https://preventblindness.org/2024-cataract-awareness-month/. Published May 30, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024.
- Cataract surgery. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21472-cataract-surgery. Accessed June 3, 2024.