Just a few months ago, a renowned Indian ophthalmologist successfully performed cataract surgery on a premature baby boy born at just 31 weeks — the youngest patient on record to receive such a surgery.
With the baby weighing a little over two pounds, the surgery was carried out using instruments and techniques specific to pediatric cataract removal. Alongside anesthetist Dr. Suman Shree R and their team, Dr. Sri Ganesh successfully performed the procedure at Nethradhama Super Specialty Eye Hospital in Bengaluru, India. Dr. Ganesh explained, “Restoring the vision of such a young patient is both challenging and rewarding.”
Testing was done before the surgery to confirm the cataracts and determine if there were any other complications in the eyes such as retinopathy of prematurity — a very common eye condition in preemies. The techniques that made this premature baby’s surgery special were a micro-incision, an anterior vitrectomy (or the removal of the eye gel in front of the iris), a posterior capsulorhexis (the creation of an opening in the lens capsule), and the insertion and implantation of an artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). These techniques, used together, allow for lower risks, faster healing, and better vision outcomes.
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Cataract development in infants is responsible for 5-20% of childhood blindness, according to Eyewiki. Removing significant cataracts at an early age, whether in one or both eyes, can help prevent future eye problems including strabismus, amblyopia, glaucoma, and poor visual development. Often, if significant cataracts are not removed during the critical visual development period for a child, their vision may be permanently stunted. According to an American Academy of Ophthalmology report, when an infant has a cataract in one eye only (unilateral), it is more critical for them to have cataract surgery within the first six weeks following birth to allow for proper visual development; studies have been less conclusive regarding surgery timing for cataracts in both eyes (bilateral).
However, if the cataracts are very dense, such as in the case of this 31-week-old preemie, it is best to remove them sooner rather than later.
The causes of congenital cataracts include metabolic disorders, genetic abnormalities, and trauma. They can also be the result of other eye problems such as uveitis, eye tumors, retinal detachments, and a maternal infection of rubella — however, these are less common in very young infants.
“We are forever indebted to Dr. Sri Ganesh and his team,” the parents of the premature baby said in a statement. “They not only restored our child’s vision but also gave us hope and strength during one of the most difficult times of our lives.”
There are many other stories of medical advancements leading to life-saving surgeries on the preemie population. Baby Alex, born at 26 weeks at just under two pounds, underwent two complex surgeries over the early months of life to correct a serious heart condition. Baby Harper, a twin born at 23 weeks weighing just one pound, overcame surgery to correct esophageal atresia in which the esophagus and stomach do not connect.
These children and many more are all thriving now thanks to the ever-advancing medical world and the dedicated surgeons who value life.
