Vijay K Dada

Complications of pediatric cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation

PURPOSE To study the pattern of postoperative complications following extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in pediatric eyes. SETTING Tertiary eye care center, New Delhi, India. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 39 eyes of 28 children referred for complications after ECCE with IOL implantation was performed. The results evaluated were visual acuity, iridocapsular problems, and IOL-related complications. Additional interventions such as neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) capsulotomy, surgical membranectomy, and penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) were done when necessary. Visual acuity was measured 1 week following intervention and at the last follow-up. RESULTS Congenital (17 eyes, 43.6%), developmental (11 eyes, 28.2%), and traumatic (11 eyes, 28.2%) cataract were the indications for surgery. Posterior capsule opacification (34 eyes, 87.2%), updrawn pupil (15 eyes, 38.5%), decentered IOL (13 eyes, 33.3%), and pupillary capture (12 eyes, 30.8%) were the major complications. An Nd:YAG capsulotomy was attempted in 19 eyes (48.7%). Surgical membranectomy was performed in 10 eyes (25.6%); PKP was performed in 2 eyes (5.1%) to treat pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. One eye had to be eviscerated because of uncontrolled endophthalmitis. In 31 eyes in which visual acuity could be measured, 27 had an acuity of 6/60 or worse at the time of presentation. Following intervention and amblyopia therapy, 19 eyes achieved a visual acuity of 6/18 or better. CONCLUSION Routine ECCE with IOL implantation in pediatric eyes is associated with various problems and may lead to permanent visual disability.

Management of Posterior Capsule Tears

Any breach in the continuity of the posterior capsule is defined as a posterior capsule tear. Posterior capsule tears can be preexisting (congenital or traumatic), spontaneous, or intrasurgical. Preexisting/congenital posterior capsule tears have been related to an intrauterine insult. Posterior capsule tears due to trauma may occur as a consequence of direct mechanical impact due to perforation or blunt injury. Depending on the duration of time between the posterior capsular trauma and the cataract surgery, these posterior capsule tears can have different features. Intrasurgical posterior capsule tears are the most common and can occur during any stage of cataract surgery. Also, they may be planned in the form of primary posterior capsulorhexis. The conventional management consists of prevention of mixture of cortical matter with vitreous, dry aspiration, and anterior vitrectomy, if required. In addition, during phacoemulsification low flow rate, high vacuum, and low ultrasound are advocated if a posterior capsule tear occurs. Dislocated nucleus or nuclear fragments require vitrectomy and the use of perfluorocarbon liquids. In the presence of a posterior capsule tear, the IOL can be placed in the sulcus, if the capsular rim is available, or in the bag, if the tear is small. Scleral fixated posterior chamber lenses and anterior chamber IOLs can be implanted when the posterior capsule tear is large.

Pneumococcal keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis

A 20-year-old man developed keratitis in his right eye 2 days after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The patient had rubbed the eye with unclean fingers the night before the onset of symptoms. Examination showed an inferior corneal ulcer with dense infiltration at the junction of the lamellar flap and the surrounding cornea associated with a hypopyon. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated on culture. The ulcer resolved with combination therapy of cephazolin 5% and tobramycin 1.3% eyedrops. Patients having LASIK should be instructed that inadequate patient hygiene may predispose to bacterial keratitis.

Anterior capsule staining for capsulorhexis in cases of white cataract: Comparative clinical study

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of trypan blue 0.1%, gentian violet 0.001%, indocyanine green 0.5% (ICG), fluorescein 2%, and the patients autologous blood for anterior capsule staining in cases of white cataract. Setting: Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Methods: Fifty eyes of 50 patients with age‐related white cataract had anterior capsule staining with trypan blue, ICG, or gentian violet under an air bubble or subcapsularly with fluorescein or autologous blood followed by phacoemulsification with foldable intraocular lens implantation. Each stain was used in 10 eyes. The ease of creating a continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) and the complications during the surgery were noted. Postoperative examinations at 6 hours, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month included slitlamp microscopy, uncorrected visual acuity, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). The staining patterns on the anterior capsule, side port, corneal tunnel, and anterior cortex were assessed intraoperatively and within 6 hours and at 1 day. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was assessed at 1 day; pachymetry, at 1 day and 1 month; and the endothelial cell count, at 1 month. Results: The surgeon had best visualization during the anterior capsulorhexis with trypan blue, ICG, and gentian violet, and a complete CCC was achieved in all eyes in the 3 groups. Two eyes each in the fluorescein and autologous blood groups had extension of the CCC so that the capsulorhexis was complete but not curvilinear. Anterior capsule fibrosis was detected with trypan blue (1 eye) and ICG (2 eyes). The anterior vitreous was stained with fluorescein in 2 eyes. All eyes achieved a BCVA of 20/30 or better from 1 week postoperatively to the last follow‐up. The side port and corneal tunnel were stained most intensely with gentian violet followed by trypan blue and ICG and less intensely with fluorescein and autologous blood. The IOP, pachymetry, and endothelial cell loss were comparable between the stains. Conclusion: Although trypan blue, ICG, gentian violet, fluorescein, and autologous blood were safely used to stain the anterior capsule for phacoemulsification in eyes with white cataract, trypan blue, ICG, and gentian violet were more effective in staining the capsule.

Polymicrobial keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE To report a case of polymicrobial infectious keratitis in one eye of a patient who had undergone bilateral simultaneous laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS A 21-year-old healthy female developed infectious keratitis in her right eye after bilateral LASIK surgery. Material obtained from the infective foci was sent for bacterial and fungal cultures and herpes simplex virus antigen detection, and broad spectrum antimicrobial therapy was instituted. RESULTS Staphylococcus epidermidis and Fusarium solani were detected on culture and herpes simplex virus antigen was found to be positive. The patient did not respond to medical therapy and subsequently the ulcer perforated. A therapeutic keratoplasty was performed and the final best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40, 1 month after keratoplasty. CONCLUSION Polymicrobial infectious keratitis, although rare, is a potential sight-threatening complication of LASIK.

Microkeratome-induced reduction of astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty

PURPOSE To report the reduction in postpenetrating keratoplasty astigmatism with the use of the microkeratome to create a lamellar corneal flap as the first stage in a two-step laser in situ keratomileusis. METHODS The hansatome microkeratome was used to create a lamellar corneal flap in a 24-year-old man with a net corneal astigmatism of 7.3 diopters, 2 years after penetrating keratoplasty. No laser ablation was performed. RESULTS The net corneal astigmatism reduced to 3.9 diopters at 1 month and 2.3 diopters at 3 months of follow-up, without any laser ablation. CONCLUSION Laser in situ keratomileusis may be performed as a two-stage procedure, because the lamellar corneal flap alone may reduce postpenetrating keratoplasty astigmatism.

Phacoemulsification of white hypermature cataract

PURPOSE To evaluate the safety of phacoemulsification of white hypermature cataract, which is common in developing countries. SETTING Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. METHODS In a teaching hospital setting, a prospective evaluation of phacoemulsification in 25 eyes of 25 consecutive patients with hypermature cataract was done. Patients with good pupil dilation, optimal endothelial cell count, and disease-free ocular and systemic status were included. High magnification, sodium hyaluronate, and a Utrata capsulorhexis forceps were used to perform continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC). The stop and chop technique was used for nuclear emulsification. A 5.5 mm optic allpoly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted, and wound closure was sutureless. RESULTS Successful CCC was performed in 23 of 25 cases. In 2 cases, the CCC edge extended toward the periphery and a Vannas scissors was used to achieve an even cut. No complications were seen during nuclear emulsification and IOL implantation. Eighty percent of the patients had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better on the first postoperative day. Five patients had significant corneal edema that resolved within 1 week in all cases. CONCLUSION Phacoemulsification was successfully and safely performed in appropriately selected patients with white hypermature cataract.

Phaco-chop versus stop-and-chop nucleotomy for phacoemulsification

Purpose: To perform a comparative evaluation of phaco‐chop versus stop‐and‐chop nucleotomy techniques of phacoemulsification. Setting: Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences, New Delhi, India. Methods: Forty eyes of 40 patients with immature senile cataract were included in the study. Twenty eyes each were randomly assigned to have phaco‐chop (Group 1) or stop‐and‐chop (Group 2) nucleotomy during phacoemulsification. The main parameters were corneal endothelial count, effective phaco time, volume of infusion fluid used, central corneal pachymetry, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and intraoperative complications during nucleotomy. Follow‐up visits were scheduled at 1, 4, and 12 weeks. Results: The mean effective phaco time was 27 seconds ± 18 (SD) in Group 1 and 28 ± 16 seconds in Group 2. The mean corneal endothelial cell loss was 6.89% and 7.17%, respectively, at the end of 12 weeks. The difference between groups was not significant. An anterior capsule tear occurred in 3 eyes in Group 1 and 1 eye in Group 2. All eyes achieved a BCVA of 20/20 at the end of 4 weeks. There were no significant between‐group differences in any intraoperative or postoperative parameter. Conclusion: The phaco‐chop and the stop‐and‐chop nucleotomy techniques were equally efficacious for nuclear management during phacoemulsification.

Cataract in enucleated goat eyes: training model for phacoemulsification

We developed an inexpensive, reproducible technique of inducing cataract in enucleated animal eyes for phacoemulsification training. Injection of 0.3 to 0.5 mL of formalin 20% in the central and paracentral portion of the crystalline lens in a goats eye induced cataract in about 5 to 10 minutes. Varying the interval would enable novice surgeons to practice different techniques of phacoemulsification based on cataract hardness.

Postoperative Intraocular Pressure Changes With Use of Different Viscoelastics

Sixty eyes with age-related cataract underwent extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) implantation under similar conditions using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (Oculose) (n = 20), sodium hyaluronate (Healon) (n = 20), or hyaluronic acid (IAL) (n = 20) as the viscoelastic (VE). Postoperative evaluation was performed for intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal thickness, and anterior chamber reaction at 6, 24, 48, 72 hours, and 10 days. Statistically-significant rises in IOP with IAL and Healon were observed at 6 and 24 hours; no such rises were observed with Oculose (P < .05). Seven eyes in the IAL group and six in the Healon group had IOPs greater than 22 mm Hg at 6 hours (range: 22 to 38 mm Hg and 22 to 28 mm Hg, respectively). A significant increase in average corneal thickness was observed in all of the 60 patients at 6 hours (18.5%). The average thickness decreased to 6.8% by day 10, with no intergroup variations. There were significantly fewer anterior chamber cells at 6 hours in the Healon group. We conclude that all three viscoelastics are equally useful for routine ECCE with PC-IOL implantation. However, IAL and Healon do cause an early postoperative IOP increase, which, though transient, should be treated.