Cataract surgery in treated retinoblastoma eyes: A study of 29 eyes. Issue 4 (July 2021) - Kaliki, Swathi
Purpose: To study the outcomes of cataract surgery in treated retinoblastoma (RB) eyes. Methods: Retrospective study of 29 eyes of 27 patients. Results: Based on International Classification of Intraocular Retinoblastoma, tumors belonged to group B ( n = 3, 10%), C ( n = 1, 4%), D ( n = 10, 34%), and E ( n = 3, 10%). The remaining 12 eyes (41%) had regressed tumors on presentation due to prior treatment. The RB treatment details included intravenous chemotherapy ( n = 24, 83%), external beam radiotherapy ( n = 14, 48%), and others. The mean time interval between tumor regression and cataract surgery was 51 months (median, 26 months; range, 6–245 months). The post-operative visual acuity was 20/200 or better in 12 (41%) eyes. Overall, 16 (55%) eyes displayed improvement of vision post-cataract surgery, while 13 (45%) eyes had no improvement in vision. The complications of cataract surgery included visual axis opacification ( n = 15, 52%), pupillary membrane ( n = 4, 14%), hyphema ( n = 1, 3%), and extraocular tumor extension ( n = 1, 3%). Clearer fundus view post-surgery revealed underlying tumor edge recurrence in 1 (3%) eye, and two (7%) patients had tumor recurrence at a mean interval of 8 months (median, 8 months; range, 7–8 months) following cataract extraction. Globe salvage was achieved in 26 (90%) eyes over a mean follow-up period of 103 months (median, 91 months; range, 19–267 months). Conclusion: Cataract surgery in treated RB is safe with vision salvage in 55% eyes and globe salvage in 90% eyes. Though there is a risk of extraocular tumor extension, its occurrence is rare (3%).