Magrabi Eye Hospital and Center in Makkah hosted a symposium of congenital cataract surgery technique, in cooperation with Jamjoom Pharmaceutical Company, with the aim of providing the necessary advice on this subject. Dr. Hassan Adel, cataract and glaucoma specialist in Magrabi Makkah presented a scientific lecture about a modern technique of congenital cataract surgery in order to minimize the postoperative complications, which are common with the old techniques.  

Congenital cataract definition

Congenital cataract disease is defined as a pathological condition that affects children after birth or during the few first years of life, a condition in which is possible to notice an opacity in the lens of the eye, which leads to decrease the vision. Congenital cataract disease also can affect children’s visual field, and it can be total or partial opacity, which means that the size of the cataract covers the pupil (the central area of ​​the eye through which light passes). Note that congenital cataract disease may be unilateral or bilateral, in addition, congenital cataract may be associated with any other eye diseases or systemic diseases and abnormalities.  

Causes of congenital cataract

The most common cause of congenital cataract disease is hereditary and sometimes it is related to intrauterine infection of the mother during pregnancy period, In some conditions, congenital cataract can be related to some congenital malformation affecting eye and other systems.  

Congenital cataract surgery

Dr. Hassan Adel highlighted during his lecture on the use of the latest techniques in removing congenital cataract as well as the latest techniques in the lens implant method in order to reduce the occurrence of secondary opacity after the cataract removal operation without making anterior vitrectomy, where he made posterior capsulotomy and implanted the lens with optic capturing the posterior capsularhexis and the lens haptics are implanted inside the capsular bag. It should be noted that Dr. Hassan Adel had performed several operations of congenital cataract with this modern technique , and the results were excellent, by the grace of Allah. It is worth noting that these children should continue follow up postoperatively with a pediatric ophthalmologist in order to manage any degree of amblyopia (lazy eye) and for visual rehabilitation and also monitoring their intraocular pressure regularly after the congenital cataract surgery.