POSTERIOR POLAR CATARACT

Course overview

POSTERIOR POLAR CATARACT (PPC) IS A UNIQUE FORM OF CONGENITAL CATARACT, WHICH RESULTS IN DEFECTIVE DISTANCE AND NEAR VISION AND AFFECTS THE PATIENT'S DAILY ACTIVITIES. THE INHERITANCE IS AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT, BUT A SPORADIC FORM HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED. VARIOUS GENES HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF PPC. PPC PRESENTS AS AN ELEVATED PLAQUE-LIKE ONION RING-SHAPED CENTRAL DISCOID LENS OPACITY DENSELY ADHERENT TO THE POSTERIOR CAPSULE. IT IS A SURGICAL CHALLENGE FOR ALL OPHTHALMOLOGISTS DUE TO THE DENSE ADHERENCE TO THE POSTERIOR CAPSULE OR PRE-EXISTING POSTERIOR CAPSULAR DEHISCENCE. CLINICALLY DALJIT SINGH SIGN AND ANTERIOR SEGMENT OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING CAN PREDICT THE POSTERIOR CAPSULAR DEHISCENCE PREOPERATIVELY AND PREVENT DREADED COMPLICATIONS LIKE POSTERIOR CAPSULAR RUPTURE, NUCLEUS DROP, APHAKIA, AND VITREOUS PROLAPSE. VARIOUS SURGICAL TECHNIQUES WITH VARIABLE SUCCESS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PPC. THIS ACTIVITY DEALS WITH ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL FEATURES, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, COMPLICATIONS, AND PROGNOSIS OF POSTERIOR POLAR CATARACTS AND EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT BY AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.