A clinical study on evaluation of risk factors and visual outcome after phacoemulsification in presenile cataract patients

To evaluate the risk factors, types of pre senile cataract and to assess the visual outcome after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in pre senile cataract. This was a hospital based cross sectional study of 90 patients who presented to Ophthalmology OPD of a tertiary care hospital and was diagnosed to have pre senile cataract. The study was done from June 2020 to November 2021. Patients who gave written informed consent were included in the study. Detailed history was taken regarding the age, gender, risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, myopia, occupation, smoking, corticosteroid use, dermatological disease etc. All the patients were subjected to routine ophthalmological evaluation. All the patients underwent phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. Visual acuity was noted before and after the surgery. The risk factors for pre senile cataract and visual acuity before and after cataract surgery was statistically analysed. Out of 90 patients included in the study, 60% were females Mean age at presentation was 42.94 ±5.93 years. Most common cause of pre senile cataract was diabetes mellitus (42.2%) followed by tobacco consumption (20%) and dermatological diseases (15.6%). Posterior subcapsular cataract was the most common type of cataract seen among young population and it has been significantly associated with diabetes mellitus. 87.8% had a best corrected visual acuity of 6/6-6/9 after phacoemulsification surgery. In this study diabetes mellitus and tobacco consumption are the two strongest modifiable risk factors for cataractogenesis in younger working population which is mainly because of the lifestyle changes. Majority of the patients attained a good visual acuity post phacoemulsification and IOL implantation surgery.