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Congenital Cataract
Aka: Congenital Cataract, Cataract in Newborns
- Definition
- Congenital lens opacity
- Epidemiology
- Rare, uncommon cause of Amblyopia
- Incidence: 0.4% of newborns
- Responsible for 15-20% of blindness in children
- Etiology
- Congenital Infections (TORCH Infection)
- Toxoplasmosis
- Syphilis
- Rubella
- Cytomegalovirus
- Herpes Simplex Virus
- Metabolic dx: Galactokinase deficiency
- Cataracts may be sole clinical finding
- Developmental
- Down Syndrome
- Turner's Syndrome
- Systemic Disease
- Wilson's Disease
- Alport's Syndrome
- Screening
- Red Reflex
- Visual Acuity
- Strabismus (Strabismus often seen 2nd to Cataract)
- Management
- Lens Cataract Extraction
- Unilateral Cataract
- Best outcome for extraction age under 2 months
- Bilateral Cataract
- Less urgent then unilateral Cataract
- Extract Cataract at age 4 to 6 months of age
- Lens implants not used in children
- Safety of lens implants unclear in children
- Contact Lens placement
- Treat Amblyopia
- References
- Berson (1987) Ophthalmology Study Guide, AAO, p. 95-110
- Essman (1992) Am Fam Physician 46(4):1243-52 [PubMed]
- Mills (1999) Am Fam Physician 60(3):907-16 [PubMed]
- Russell-Eggitt (1997) J Cataract Refract Surg 23:664-8 [PubMed]
- Simon (2001) Am Fam Physician 64(4):623-8 [PubMed]