Parikshit Gogate

Extracapsular cataract surgery compared with manual small incision cataract surgery in community eye care setting in western India: a randomised controlled trial

Aim: To study “manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS)” for the rehabilitation of cataract visually impaired and blind patients in community based, high volume, eye hospital setting; to compare the safety and effectiveness of MSICS with conventional extracapsular cataract surgery (ECCE). Methods: In a single masked randomised controlled clinical trial, 741 patients, aged 40–90 years, with operable cataract were randomly assigned to receive either MSICS or ECCE and operated upon by one of eight participating surgeons. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were graded and scored according to the Oxford Cataract Treatment and Evaluation Team recommendations. The patients were followed up at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 1 year after surgery and their visual acuity recorded. Results: This paper reports outcomes at 1 and 6 weeks. 706 of the 741(95.3%) patients completed the 6 week follow up. 135 of 362 (37.3%) of ECCE group and 165 of 344 (47.9%) of MSICS group had uncorrected visual acuity of 6/18 or better after 6 weeks of follow up. 314 of 362 (86.7%) of ECCE group and 309 of 344 (89.8%) of MSICS group had corrected postoperative vision of 6/18 or better. Four of 362 (1.1%) of ECCE group and six of 344 (1.7%) of MSICS group had corrected postoperative visual acuity less than 6/60. There were no significant differences between the two groups for intraoperative and severe postoperative complications. Conclusion: MSICS and ECCE are both safe and effective techniques for treatment of cataract patients in community eye care settings. MSICS needs similar equipment to ECCE, but gives better uncorrected vision.

Prevalence of uncorrected refractive error and other eye problems among urban and rural school children

Background: Uncorrected refractive error is an avoidable cause of visual impairment. Aim: To compare the magnitude and determinants of uncorrected refractive error, such as age, sex, family history of refractive error and use of spectacles among school children 6-15 years old in urban and rural Maharashtra, India. Study Design: This was a review of school-based vision screening conducted in 2004-2005. Materials and Methods: Optometrists assessed visual acuity, amblyopia and strabismus in rural children. Teachers assessed visual acuity and then optometrists confirmed their findings in urban schools. Ophthalmologists screened for ocular pathology. Data of uncorrected refractive error, amblyopia, strabismus and blinding eye diseases was analyzed to compare the prevalence and risk factors among children of rural and urban areas. Results: We examined 5,021 children of 8 urban clusters and 7,401 children of 28 rural clusters. The cluster-weighted prevalence of uncorrected refractive error in urban and rural children was 5.46% (95% CI, 5.44-5.48) and 2.63% (95% CI, 2.62-2.64), respectively. The prevalence of myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism in urban children was 3.16%, 1.06% and 0.16%, respectively. In rural children, the prevalence of myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism was 1.45%, 0.39% and 0.21%, respectively. The prevalence of amblyopia was 0.8% in urban and 0.2% in rural children. Thirteen to 15 years old children attending urban schools were most likely to have uncorrected myopia. Conclusion: The prevalence of uncorrected refractive error, especially myopia, was higher in urban children. Causes of higher prevalence and barriers to refractive error correction services should be identified and addressed. Eye screening of school children is recommended. However, the approach used may be different for urban and rural school children.

Changing pattern of childhood blindness in Maharashtra, India

Aim: To determine the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness in children in schools for the blind in Maharashtra, India. Methods: Children aged <16 years with a visual acuity of <6/60 in the better eye, attending 35 schools for the blind were examined between 2002 and 2005, and causes were classified using the World Health Organization’s system. Results: 1985 students were examined, 1778 of whom fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The major causes of visual loss were congenital anomalies (microphthalmos or anophthalmos; 735, 41.3%), corneal conditions (mainly scarring; 395, 22.2%), cataract or aphakia (n = 107, 6%), and retinal disorders (mainly dystrophies; n = 199, 11.2%). More than one third of children (34.5%) were blind from conditions which could have been prevented or treated, 139 of whom were referred for surgery. Low vision devices improved near-acuity in 79 (4.4%) children, and 72 (4%) benefited from refraction. No variation in causes by sex or region was observed. Conclusions: Congenital anomalies accounted for 41% of blindness, which is higher than in a similar study conducted 10 years ago. Corneal scarring seems to be declining in importance, low vision and optical services need to be improved, and research is needed to determine the aetiology of congenital anomalies.

Comparison of endothelial cell loss after cataract surgery: phacoemulsification versus manual small-incision cataract surgery: six-week results of a randomized control trial.

PURPOSE: To compare endothelial cell loss in cataract surgery by phacoemulsification and by manual small‐incision cataract surgery (SICS). SETTINGS: Tertiary care ophthalmic center, India. METHODS: A complete ophthalmologic examination and endothelial specular microscopy were performed preoperatively and 1 and 6 weeks postoperatively in patients having cataract surgery. The endothelial cell count (ECC) was calculated manually and automatically using an LSM 12000 specular microscope. Patients were randomly allocated to have SICS or phacoemulsification using a random number table. Phacoemulsification was performed using the stop‐and‐chop technique and SICS, by viscoexpression. RESULTS: The study evaluated 200 patients, 100 in each group. The mean preoperative ECC by the manual counting method was 2950.7 cells/mm2 in the phacoemulsification group and 2852.5 cells/mm2 in the SICS group and by the automated counting method, 3053.7 cells/mm2 and 2975.3 cells/mm2, respectively. The difference at 6 weeks was 543.4 cells/mm2 and 505.9 cells/mm2, respectively, by the manual method (P = .44) and 474.2 cells/mm2 and 456.1 cells/mm2, respectively, by the automated method (P = .98). The corrected distance visual acuity at 6 weeks was better than 6/18 in 98.5% of eyes in the phacoemulsification group and 97.3% of eyes in the SICS group. CONCLUSION: There were no clinically or statistically significant differences in ECC loss or visual acuity between phacoemulsification and SICS, although there was a small difference in the astigmatic shift. Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Causes of childhood blindness in the northeastern states of India

Background: The northeastern region (NER) of India is geographically isolated and ethno-culturally different from the rest of the country. There is lacuna regarding the data on causes of blindness and severe visual impairment in children from this region. Aim: To determine the causes of severe visual impairment and blindness amongst children from schools for the blind in the four states of NER of India. Design and Setting: Survey of children attending special education schools for the blind in the NER. Materials and Methods: Blind and severely visually impaired children (best corrected visual acuity <20/200 in the better eye, aged up to 16 years) underwent visual acuity estimation, external ocular examination, retinoscopy and fundoscopy. Refraction and low vision workup was done where indicated. World Health Organization′s reporting form was used to code anatomical and etiological causes of visual loss. Statistical Analysis: Microsoft Excel Windows software with SPSS. Results: A total of 376 students were examined of whom 258 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The major anatomical causes of visual loss amongst the 258 were congenital anomalies (anophthalmos, microphthalmos) 93 (36.1%); corneal conditions (scarring, vitamin A deficiency) 94 (36.7%); cataract or aphakia 28 (10.9%), retinal disorders 15 (5.8%) and optic atrophy 14 (5.3%). Nearly half of the children were blind from conditions which were either preventable or treatable (48.5%). Conclusion: Nearly half the childhood blindness in the NER states of India is avoidable and Vitamin A deficiency forms an important component unlike other Indian states. More research and multisectorial effort is needed to tackle congenital anomalies.

Small incision cataract surgery: Complications and mini-review

This article reviews the literature on manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) and its complications. Various articles on MSICS published in indexed journals were reviewed, as well as the sections on complications of MSICS. The Pubmed search engine on the Internet was used to find out articles published since 1985 on MSICS in any language in indexed journals. Books published by Indian authors and the website of Indian Journal of Ophthalmology were also referred to. MSICS has become very popular technique of cataract surgery in India, and it is often used as an alternative to phacoemulsification. Studies on its efficacy and safety for cataract surgery show that, being a variant of extracapsular cataract surgery, MSICS also has similar intraoperative and postoperative complications. The considerable handling inside the anterior chamber during nucleus delivery increase the chances of iris injury, striate keratitis, and posterior capsular rupture. The surgeon has to be extra careful in the construction of the scleral tunnel and to achieve a good capsulorrhexis. Postoperative inflammation and corneal edema are rare if surgeons have the expertise and patience. The final astigmatism is less than that in the extracapsular cataract surgery and almost comparable to that in phacoemulsification. There is, however, a concern of posterior capsular opacification in the long term, which needs to be addressed. Although MSICS demands skill and patience from the cataract surgeon, it is a safe, effective, and economical alternative to competing techniques and can be the answer to tackle the large backlog of blindness due to cataract.

Severe visual impairment and blindness in infants: causes and opportunities for control

Childhood blindness has an adverse effect on growth, development, social, and economic opportunities. Severe visual impairment (SVI) and blindness in infants must be detected as early as possible to initiate immediate treatment to prevent deep amblyopia. Although difficult, measurement of visual acuity of an infant is possible. The causes of SVI and blindness may be prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal. Congenital anomalies such as anophthalmos, microphthalmos, coloboma, congenital cataract, infantile glaucoma, and neuro-ophthalmic lesions are causes of impairment present at birth. Ophthalmia neonatorum, retinopathy of prematurity, and cortical visual impairment are acquired during the perinatal period. Leukocoria or white pupillary reflex can be cause by congenital cataract, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, or retinoblastoma. While few medical or surgical options are available for congenital anomalies or neuro-ophthalmic disorders, many affected infants can still benefit from low vision aids and rehabilitation. Ideally, surgery for congenital cataracts should occur within the first 4 months of life. Anterior vitrectomy and primary posterior capsulotomy are required, followed by aphakic glasses with secondary intraocular lens implantation at a later date. The treatment of infantile glaucoma is surgery followed by anti-glaucoma medication. Retinopathy of prematurity is a proliferation of the retinal vasculature in response to relative hypoxia in a premature infant. Screening in the first few weeks of life can prevent blindness. Retinoblastoma can be debulked with chemotherapy; however, enucleation may still be required. Neonatologists, pediatricians, traditional birth attendants, nurses, and ophthalmologists should be sensitive to a parent’s complaints of poor vision in an infant and ensure adequate follow-up to determine the cause. If required, evaluation under anesthesia should be performed, which includes funduscopy, refraction, corneal diameter measurement, and measurement of intraocular pressure.

Visual outcomes of bilateral congenital and developmental cataracts in young children in south India and causes of poor outcome

Context: Bilateral pediatric cataracts are important cause of visual impairment in children. Aim: To study the outcome of bilateral pediatric cataract surgery in young children. Setting and Design: Retrospective case series in a tertiary center. Materials and Methods: Records of pediatric cataracts operated between January 2001 and December 2003, with a minimum follow-up of 3 months, were reviewed retrospectively. Statistical Methods: Independent sample t-test, Fishers exact test, and logistic regression using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science, Chicago, USA) version 12. Results: 215/257 (83.7%) patients had a minimum follow-up of 3 months. The mean age of presentation to the hospital was 53 months (range: 0-168 months). Congenital cataract was present in 107 patients (58.2%) and developmental cataract in 77 patients (41.8%). The mean age at surgery was 55.2 months (range: 1-168 months). Out of 430 eyes, 269 (62.6%) had an intraocular lens implanted. The mean duration of follow-up was 13.1 months (range: 3-38 months). Pre-operatively, 102 patients (47.3%) had visual acuity <6/60, in the better eye, compared to 37 patients (17.2%) post-operatively (P < 0.001). Eighty-five patients (39.5%) had visual acuity >6/18. The most common early post-operative complication was fibrinous uveitis in 57 eyes (13.3%) and the most common delayed post-operative complication was posterior capsular opacification in 118 eyes (27.4%). The most important prognostic factor for poor outcome was congenital cataract (odds ratio [OR]: 26.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.4-158.5) and total cataract (OR: 4.8; 95% CI, 1.3-17).

Comparison of subtenon anaesthesia with peribulbar anaesthesia for manual small incision cataract surgery.

PURPOSE To compare the safety and efficacy of subtenon anaesthesia with peribulbar anaesthesia in manual small incision cataract surgery using a randomised control clinical trial. METHOD One hundred and sixty-eight patients were randomised to subtenon and peribulbar groups with preset criteria after informed consent. All surgeries were performed by four surgeons. Pain during administration of anaesthesia, during surgery and 4 h after surgery was graded on a visual analogue pain scale and compared for both the techniques. Sub-conjuntival haemorrhage, chemosis, akinesia after administration of anaesthesia and positive pressure during surgery were also compared. Patients were followed up for 6 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS About 146/168 (86.9%) patients completed the six-week follow-up. Thirty-one out of 88 (35.2%) patients of peribulbar group and 62/80(77.5%) of subtenon group experienced no pain during administration of anaesthesia. There was no significant difference in pain during and 4 h after surgery. Subtenon group had slightly more sub-conjunctival haemorrhage. About 57 (64.8%) patients of the peribulbar group had absolute akinesia during surgery as compared to none (0%) in sub-tenon group. There was no difference in intraoperative and postoperative complications and final visual acuity. CONCLUSION Sub-tenon anaesthesia is safe and as effective as peribulbar anaesthesia and is more comfortable to the patient at the time of administration.

Is glaucoma blindness a disease of deprivation and ignorance? A case-control study for late presentation of glaucoma in India

Aim: The aim was to identify the presenting symptoms and social risk factors for late presentation of primary glaucoma in newly diagnosed cases. Materials and Methods: It was a case-control study in a tertiary eye care center in Maharashtra, India. Newly diagnosed patients with primary glaucoma were classified as cases (late presenters) where there was no perception of light in one eye or severe visual field loss affecting an area within 20° of fixation or a cup–disc (C:D) ratio ≥0.8 and controls (early presenters), presenting relative scotoma within 20° of fixation or a C:D ratio <0.8, but >0.5. All patients underwent a comprehensive ocular examination including gonioscopy, perimetry, and detailed family and social history. Occupation, education, and socioeconomic status were graded. SPSS version 12.0 was used, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Gradual progressive painless loss of vision was the commonest symptom (175, 87.5%). Primary angle closure glaucoma was more common in females (P = 0.001) and lower socioeconomic groups (P = 0.05). Patients who were less educated were more likely to have late presentation of glaucoma (P < 0.001, odds ratio = 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02–0.25). Knowledge of family history of glaucoma (P = 0.80, odds ratio = 1.16; 95% CI, 0.36–3.71) and eye clinic attendance in past 2 years still resulted in late presentation (P = 0.45, odds ratio = 1.34, 95% CI, 0.63–2.82). Conclusion: Lack of education and awareness of glaucoma were major risk factors for late presentation.