Effect of interval between time of injury and timing of intervention on final visual outcome in cases of traumatic cataract.

PURPOSE: There are no clear guidelines to treat traumatic cataract. This study was conducted to provide evidence-based care to patients with traumatic cataracts and to examine the effect of the time interval between injury and the first intervention on the final visual outcome.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, all patients presenting to our hospital with traumatic cataracts between January 2003 and December 2009 were enrolled. Information regarding demographics and ocular trauma was collected on the pretested World Eye Trauma Registry form for both the first and follow-up visits. In particular, we collected specific information on the time interval between the injury and intervention. The relationship between this time interval and the final visual outcome was analyzed. The study was conducted at a tertiary eye care center, in Dahod, at the junction of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan states, in central western India.

RESULTS

The time interval between the injury and first intervention had a significant effect on the final visual outcome (p = 0.02, chi2 test).

CONCLUSIONS

The morphology of traumatic cataracts plays an important role in determining the appropriate surgical technique and the final visual outcome.