An Update on Pediatric Cataract Surgery: Where Are We Today?

Abstract

Despite significant advances in the field of Ophthalmology, childhood blindness remains a major challenge and a cause of worry for ophthalmologists the world over. The magnitude of the problem is compounded in resource-limited countries such as India where the number of patients may be very high and the system is not designed well enough to suit the needs of the entire population. In India, more than 20% children may be visually impaired.1 This poses a challenge to the system; appropriate care and follow-up of these children requires significant dedication, skill and clinical resources, some of which may be scarce in our country.2 In the index editorial, we have summed up our experiences in pediatric cataract surgery from a large tertiary eye care center, and report the challenges that still need to be tackled in the present times.