Bengaluru: A six-week-old boy in the city recently underwent surgery for a dense congenital cataract in one eye, making it one of the youngest cases of its kind to be operated on.The surgery was done by ophthalmologist Dr Sri Ganesh at Nethradhama Super Specialty Eye Hospital in Jayanagar.
The baby was brought to the hospital at five weeks of age with a white reflex (Leukocoria or an abnormal white reflection from the retina) in its right eye.
After scanning, the doctors found the baby had a dense fibrous plaque on the posterior capsule of the eye. To prevent the baby from suffering irreversible vision loss due to amblyopia (lazy eye where brain doesn’t process input from one eye, leading to poor vision), the doctors decided to operate.The surgery was conducted under paediatric anaesthesia. During the surgery, the dense fibrous plaque was meticulously peeled, followed by other procedures to ensure a clear visual axis. Once the baby reaches 6-8 months of age, an intraocular lens (artificial lens to replace the natural one) will be implanted. The doctors are stimulating vision development in the eye with intermittent patching as of now.
Dr Ganesh said early diagnosis of such conditions, especially within 15 days to 3 months of age, can result in better vision development for kids. “Any delays in treatment will cause vision development problems, especially if the condition is present in one eye. Delay in intervention can lead to blindness,” he said.Calling for better awareness among doctors and parents, he added, “As soon as the baby is born, eye screening must be done. If parents or doctors notice any white reflex in the eyes, they should immediately consult an eye specialist.”