Ultrasonographic Findings in Pre-operative Cataract Patients in A Private Eye Clinic in South East, Nigeria
Published: 2024-01-31
Page: 44-55
Issue: 2024 - Volume 7 [Issue 1]
L. I. Eweputanna *
Department of Radiology, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria.
O. A. I. Otuka
Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology Unit, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria.
A. Kalu
Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
N. C. Ekeleme
Department of Community Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria.
E. C. Iwuoha
Department of Community Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria.
J. N. Ubah
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
B. C. Ochiogu
Department of Ophthalmology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka Campus Anambra State, Nigeria.
A. C. Udeaja
Department of Ophthalmology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka Campus Anambra State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research investigated the pre-operative ultrasonographic findings in cataract patients from a private eye clinic in South East Nigeria. The study comprised a total of 117 patients with an average age of 65±11.9, 56.4% of whom were male. Most patients (88%) had poor pre-operative visual acuity, with a substantial proportion (86.3%) exhibiting afferent pupillary defect in the eye slated for operation. The study highlighted that a notable 59.8% of the patients underwent biometry. Notably, in addition to thickening and increase echogenicity of the lenses in the study population; the ocular ultrasound identified abnormalities in 43.6% of the eyes. Specifically, the occurrence of vitreous degeneration was the most common finding (39.3%), while vitreous hemorrhage was less common (0.9%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of posterior synaechie and the ultrasound findings. In addition to ocular lesions, 33.3% of patients had systemic diseases, with hypertension being the most prevalent (25.6%). The ocular co-morbidity rate was 43.9%, primarily characterized by glaucoma (26.4%) and age-related macular degeneration (12.0%). These results underline the importance of pre-operative ocular ultrasound in detecting ocular abnormalities among cataract patients, and its critical role in planning for surgical intervention. These findings also emphasize the need to manage co-existing ocular and systemic diseases among cataract patients to optimize surgical outcomes.
Keywords: Pre-operative ultrasonography, cataract, posterior synaechie, vitreous degeneration, vitreous hemorrhage