The Clinical Observation of Cataract Surgery in Leprosy Patients

Moon, Sung Kang; Kim, Sang Duck; Kim, Jae Duck

Abstract

In leprosy patients, the cataract surgery may be combined with additinal manipulation for presenting miosis such as iris surgery. The authors have studies retrospectively the incidence, surgical results, and postperative complications of extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber IOL implantation combined with iris surgery of 50 eyes with a follow-up period of more than 3 months. Pupil dilatation procedure was necessary for miotic pupils in 31 eyes and in 8 cases pupilloplasty also was performed. The average visual acuity was 0.1 preoperatively and 0.6 postoperatively. The common postoperative complications included after-cataract in 28 eyes(56%) and iris capture and/or synechia in 9(18%) eyes. After-cataract developed more frequently in eyes with a history of uveitis(92.6%) or those that received iris surgery(71%). Iris capture developed in those who received cataract surgery with pupil dilatation procedure and did not develop in those with additional pupilloplasty. Also pupilloplasty patients complained of less photophobia. In conclusion, pupil dilatation procedures may be required in cataract surgery of leprosy patients and is related with the development of aftercataract, but to prevent iris capture and photophobia additional pupiolloplasty is recommended.