OBJECTIVE: To study the complications and surgical outcomes of cataract surgery in patients of persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) with cataract.
METHODS: In this prospective study, phacoaspiration with/without intraocular lens implantation (IOL) was done in 20 children (mean age 14.2 months) with unilateral cataract with anterior (n = 6) or combined (n = 14) PFV. The rentrolental vascularized membrane was cauterized and dissected circumferentially, followed by cauterization and resection of the PFV stalk. The outcome measures included fixation preference using the CSM (central, steady, maintained) method and intraoperative and postoperative complications in an 18-month follow-up. The difference in outcomes of anterior and combined PFV, as well as aphakic and pseudophakic eyes, was studied.
RESULTS: CSM fixation was seen in 16 patients after 18 months. The intraocular lens was implanted in 16 eyes and 4 eyes with combined PFV were left aphakic. None of our patients had intraoperative bleeding. Visual axis obscuration was the major complication seen, requiring membranectomy in 8 children. Pupilloplasty was required with membranectomy in one eye. None of our patients developed glaucoma or retinal detachment.
CONCLUSIONS: Timely surgical intervention and aggressive amblyopia therapy led to good visual results in our study. Poor prognosis was seen in combined PFV, aphakia, and microphthalmia.