Bilateral Cataract After Electric Injury in a Child: A Case Report

Electric injuries constitute an important group of injuries, and the number of cases has increased in recent years. We present a case of bilateral cataract in a child following an electrical injury. A 12-year-old male child presented to our ophthalmology center with a progressive reduction in vision in both eyes over the preceding month. The patient reported experiencing an electric shock one year earlier from a live wire carrying approximately 220 V (based on the available history, although this could not be confirmed). The child sustained injuries to the body and head, for which he was hospitalized and managed at a private hospital for 18 days. On examination, the child had large hyperpigmented and depigmented healed thermal burn scars over the lateral abdomen and back, along with areas of scarring alopecia on the scalp. The uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) in the right eye was 6/60, improving to 6/18 with a pinhole on the Snellen visual acuity chart. In the left eye, the UDVA was also 6/60 and improved to 6/12 with a pinhole. The corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) was N18 on the Snellen near vision chart in both eyes. Slit-lamp examination revealed Grade 3 anterior cortical cataracts in both eyes. No other ophthalmological abnormalities were detected. The child underwent bilateral cataract surgery under general anesthesia. A hydrophobic foldable posterior chamber monofocal intraocular lens was implanted in the capsular bag following phacoemulsification. Surgery in both eyes was uneventful, and no postoperative complications were observed. Both distance and near vision improved after surgery. We present this case of electrical cataract, a relatively uncommon but well-documented complication of electrical burn injury, to highlight the occurrence of this condition following electrical injuries. Healthcare professionals managing such patients should be aware of these complications, and patients should be informed and counselled regarding the possible ocular sequelae, some of which may develop years after the initial injury. Therefore, patients with electrical injuries should undergo regular ophthalmological examinations to facilitate early identification of these complications. Appropriate management can lead to significant visual improvement, as demonstrated in our case.