Page 57 - NAME OF CONDITION: REFRACTIVE ERRORS

emotional, social and economic difficulties which affect the child, the family and society.

Timely recognition and intervention can eliminate blind-years due to childhood cataract, as
the condition is treatable.

III. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Cataract presents as a white reflex in the central part of the pupil. There are some other
common conditions of the eye that show white reflex in the pupillary area and mimic
cataract.
 Endophthalmitis

 Old Retinal Detachment
 Intra ocular tumour
 Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous

IV. PREVENTION AND COUNSELING

Cataract is mostly age related and there is no effective way of preventing this condition.

However there are certain secondary types of cataract which can be prevented.
 Traumatic cataract is very common in India especially among younger adults and
children. Education about occupational safety and avoiding dangerous games (e.g.
Bow and arrow) can reduce incidence of traumatic cataract.
 Drugs, commonly corticosteroids (either local or systemic) can produce cataract
after prolonged use. This can be prevented by judicious application of the medicine.
 Heredity plays a role in some families. Multiple children in a family are either born
with cataract or develop cataract at a very young age. Genetic counseling has some

role in prevention. Early eye check up for all the children in those families can be
advocated.
 Maternal infections during pregnancy, most commonly rubella, can give rise to
congenital cataract. This can be prevented by immunizing the target age group of
women.
 Smoking is known to be associated with nuclear cataract and hence preventing
smoking is thought to be beneficial.

 Ultraviolet-B radiation has been associated with lens opacities and hence protecting
eyes from sun has some role in prevention.
 Diabetes mellitus has a higher risk for cataract formation, and behavior modification
to reduce the risk of developing type 2diabetes may be effective.

V. OPTIMAL DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA, INVESTIGATIONS, TREATMENT

& REFERRAL CRITERIA

57