Children who have had cataract surgery may need to be monitored for glaucoma

This study focused on the incidence of pediatric cataract surgery in South Korea and the rate of secondary glaucoma development following surgery.

Study design

This retrospective cohort study used the Korean National Health Claims database, specifically a subset of the Korean Nationwide Epidemiological Study for Childhood Glaucoma, to identify patients with infantile cataracts who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2018 and to look at the rate of secondary glaucoma following the surgery. Patients who had ≥1 year of follow-up and no presurgical history of glaucoma were included (N = 692).

Outcomes

The incidence of infantile cataract surgery ranged from 5.10 to 9.29 per 100,000 births between 2008 and 2018. Secondary glaucoma was diagnosed in 14.1% of patients, and glaucoma risk steadily increased over the 11-year study period. Primary or secondary IOL implantation was the only factor that significantly decreased glaucoma development.

Limitations

The study is limited by the information available in the claims database, which may affect risk factor analysis. In addition, the study is based on the South Korean population, which is genetically different from the US population.

Clinical significance

A large, comprehensive nationwide population-based study showed that the incidence of infantile cataract and glaucoma following cataract surgery in South Korea was similar to that noted in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other areas of Asia, suggesting its universality across different populations. 

Financial Disclosures: Dr. Brenda Bohnsack discloses no financial relationships.