Clinico Epidemiological Correlates of Traumatic Cataract in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India

Trauma in and around the eyes can affect visual function directly or indirectly. Ocular trauma can vary in the nature of the agent causing injury as well as the extent and site of the injury. Ophthalmologists encounter traumatic cataract very often in their day to day practice and is the most common cause of unilateral cataract in young individuals.

were to know the incidence of traumatic cataract in total OPD patients, the related epidemiological factors and associated other ocular findings.

This was a cross sectional observational study conducted from October 2010 to September 2012.

Incidence of traumatic cataract was 0.1% of total OPD patients and 1.8% of total cataract patients. 78.3% of cases were between 11–40 years of age and male to female ratio was 4.4:1. Penetrating type of injury caused 62% and blunt injury caused 38% of traumatic cataract. Most common mode of injury was by stick (37%) followed by stone (23.9%). Most injuries were caused at work (30.4%) followed by violence (23.9%). Within 48 hours of the injury 45.7% of patients presented to the OPD while 28.3% patients presented after an interval of 1 month. Among the associated ocular findings, corneal laceration (50%), uveitis (38%) and subconjunctival haemorrhage (30.4%) were common. Most common type of cataract was total cataract (63%), followed by cataract with ruptured capsule (24%).

Majority of cases of traumatic cataracts were in the economically productive age group of young individuals and related to the nature of their work. Associated ocular findings varied as per the type and mode of ocular trauma.