eMedicine Specialties > Ophthalmology > Lens

Cataract, Traumatic: Follow-up

Author: Robert H Graham, MD, Senior Associate Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Coauthor(s): Brian C Mulrooney, MD, Private Practice, Ophthalmology, Crestwood Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Feb 4, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Patients should receive follow-up care as needed.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Protective eyewear should be worn when participating in any high-risk activities.
  • Most serious eye trauma can be avoided if proper eye and face protectors are used.

Complications

  • Lens dislocation and subluxation are commonly found in conjunction with traumatic cataract.
  • Other associated complications include the following: phacolytic, phacomorphic, pupillary block, and angle-recession glaucoma; phacoanaphylactic uveitis; retinal detachment; choroidal rupture; hyphema; retrobulbar hemorrhage; traumatic optic neuropathy; and globe rupture.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis is dependent on the extent of the injury.

Patient Education

  • Protective eyewear is important in high-risk activities to avoid injury.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Eye and Vision Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Cataracts.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • The nature of the injury should be accurately documented, including location, time, and circumstances of the injury, as well as whether protective eyewear was worn.
 


More on Cataract, Traumatic

Overview: Cataract, Traumatic
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Cataract, Traumatic
Treatment & Medication: Cataract, Traumatic
Follow-up: Cataract, Traumatic
Multimedia: Cataract, Traumatic
References
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References

  1. Chuang LH, Lai CC. Secondary intraocular lens implantation of traumatic cataract in open-globe injury. Can J Ophthalmol. Aug 2005;40(4):454-9. [Medline].

  2. Dinakaran S, Kayarkar VV. Traumatic retinal break from a viscoelastic cannula during cataract surgery. Arch Ophthalmol. Jun 2004;122(6):936. [Medline].

  3. Jaffe NS, Jaffe MS, Jaffe GF. Lens displacement. Cataract Surgery and Its Complications. 1997;200-11.

  4. Kanski JJ. Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach. 1989:257-8.

  5. Kumar A, Kumar V, Dapling RB. Traumatic cataract and intralenticular foreign body. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. Dec 2005;33(6):660-1. [Medline].

  6. Kumar S, Panda A, Badhu BP, Das H. Safety of primary intraocular lens insertion in unilateral childhood traumatic cataract. JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. Oct-Dec 2008;47(172):179-85. [Medline].

  7. Phillips PM, Shamie N, Chen ES, Terry MA. Transscleral sulcus fixation of a small-diameter iris-diaphragm intraocular lens in combined penetrating keratoplasty and cataract extraction for correction of traumatic cataract, aniridia, and corneal scarring. J Cataract Refract Surg. Dec 2008;34(12):2170-3. [Medline].

  8. Rofagha S, Day S, Winn BJ, Ou JI, Bhisitkul RB, Chiu CS. Spontaneous resolution of a traumatic cataract caused by an intralenticular foreign body. J Cataract Refract Surg. Jun 2008;34(6):1033-5. [Medline].

  9. Sarikkola AU, Sen HN, Uusitalo RJ, Laatikainen L. Traumatic cataract and other adverse events with the implantable contact lens. J Cataract Refract Surg. Mar 2005;31(3):511-24. [Medline].

  10. Schwab IR, et al. Anterior segment trauma. In: AAO Basic and Clinical Science Course. Section 8. 1997:285-6.

  11. Shingleton BJ, Hersh PS, Kenyon KR, et al. Lens injuries. In: Eye Trauma. 1991:126-34.

  12. Tasman W, Jaeger EA. Traumatic cataract. In: Duane's Clinical Ophthalmology. 1. 1997:13-4.

  13. Witherspoon CD, Kunh F, Morris R, et al. Anterior and posterior segment trauma. Master Techniques in Ophthalmic Surgery. 1995;538-47.

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Further Reading

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Keywords

traumatic cataract, traumatic cataracts, ocular trauma, blunt trauma, vision loss, visual deficit

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Robert H Graham, MD, Senior Associate Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Robert H Graham, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Medical Association, and Arizona Ophthalmological Society
Disclosure: WebMD/eMedicine Salary Employment

Coauthor(s)

Brian C Mulrooney, MD, Private Practice, Ophthalmology, Crestwood Hospital
Brian C Mulrooney, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Richard W Allinson, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Texas A&M University Health Science Center; Senior Staff Ophthalmologist, Scott and White Clinic
Richard W Allinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief of Section of Ophthalmology Surgical Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, West Los Angeles
Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

J James Rowsey, MD, Former Director of Corneal Services, St Luke's Cataract and Laser Institute, Florida
J James Rowsey, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Medical Association, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Florida Medical Association, Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, Sigma Xi, and Southern Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Lance L Brown, OD, MD, Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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