Profile of childhood cataract cases at the Philippine General Hospital

Jose V. Tecson, III, MD; Alvina Pauline D. Santiago, MD

Authors

Jose V. Tecson, III, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of the Philippines Philippine General Hospital Manila, Philippines Author
Alvina Pauline D. Santiago, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of the Philippines Philippine General Hospital Manila, Philippines Author

Keywords:

Cataract, Congenital, Blindness, Rubella

Abstract

Objective: The study determined the major causes of childhood cataract among patients seen at the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

Methods: Case records of all patients seen at the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of UP-PGH from January 1, 2000 to August 31, 2003 were reviewed. Included were patients less than 21 years old diagnosed with cataract not associated with trauma. Cases were classified as to presumptive etiology: idiopathic, familial, or secondary to a systemic or an ocular disorder.

Results: The cause of cataract was identified in 37.6% of the 218 cases reviewed. Rubella was the leading cause (20.5%), followed by suspected rubella infection (8.2%). There were 2 cases of varicella and 1 case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. Down syndrome and Lowe syndrome had one case each. Three cases (1.4%) were familial. Cataract was idiopathic in 133 cases (61.0%).

Conclusion: The pattern of childhood cataract in this study is typical of a developing country where rubella infection is the major cause.