VISUAL OUTCOME OF CATARACT SURGERY IN CASES OF PENETRATING OCULAR TRAUMA

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the visual outcome after cataract surgery in patients with penetrating ocular trauma. Material & Methods: It was a retrospective case series of 33 cases with traumatic cataracts underwent cataract surgery between 2009 and 2012 in a rural population of Gilgit, Pakistan. Pre and post operative complications and visual acuity was noted of all cases. Results: Out of study subjects majority were male (91%) and the mean age was 26.8 +/- 6.2 years. In 91% cases initial best corrected visual acuity was not better than counting fingers. All patients underwent primary surgery. Posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation was safely achieved in 67% cases and a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better was obtained in 45% of eyes in our study. Preoperative and postoperative complications were also noted and their effect on final visual outcome was analyzed. Conclusion: Good visual outcome was obtained in nearly half of the eyes in our study. The main anterior segment postoperative complications were posterior capsular opacification, corneal edema and wound leakage while retinal detachment, vitreous loss and endophthalmitis were the posterior segment complications.