How are my son’s cancer-related cataracts monitored?
MAY 03, 2019
Question:
My son has PSC cataracts in both eyes that were latent side effects from cancer treatment. He has problems with night vision/glare and now needs reading glasses. I read that PSC cataracts can change rapidly. What specific tests/imaging should I ask the doctors for to monitor changes and to quantify the size and location of them?
Answer:
Thank you for sharing your information regarding your son and I do hope that he has had a successful course with his cancer treatment.
PCS cataracts (or “posterior subcapsular cataract,” a cataract that forms on the back of the eye’s lens, beneath the capsule that holds the lens in place) can occur following treatment and usually form after anti-inflammatory steroid use or radiation treatment to areas around the eyes. The cataracts are monitored through vision assessment and there are multiple ways this can be done, depending on the age of the child. If there is a belief that the vision is decreasing, this could be a sign that the cataracts have worsened. The best course is to maintain regular follow-up visits with your ophthalmologist or preferably a pediatric ophthalmologist, as they have special training in vision assessment in children.