Rare micropupil secondary to congenital cataract surgery favoring the development of the affected eye: a case report

TL;DR

A rare case of micropupil development after congenital cataract surgery in a child led to better eye development and vision in the affected eye.

Contribution

This is the first reported case of micropupil development as a secondary outcome of congenital cataract surgery.

Findings

The affected eye showed better ocular development and refractive status compared to the fellow eye.

Postoperative pupilloplasty improved the visual acuity of the affected eye to match that of the fellow eye.

Abstract

Congenital microcoria has been extensively reported and usually leads to visual dysfunction or blindness. However, micropupil development secondary to cataract surgery has never been reported. Here, we describe a rare case of micropupil development in infancy that occurred secondary to combined cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation for treatment of congenital cataract. When the patient reached adulthood, the affected eye not only gained good vision but also showed better ocular development and refractive status than the fellow eye.

A 17-year-old boy presented to our outpatient clinic with decreased vision in his left eye related to congenital cataract surgery at 6 months of age. The affected eye had exhibited a pinhole pupil since the third month postoperatively. The condition had been managed with observation and regular monocular occlusion treatment. Upon presentation to our clinic, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in his fellow eye was 0.0 logMAR(20/20) with a refraction of − 5.75 diopters cylinder/−2.25 diopters sphere, and the BCVA in his affected eye was 0.5 logMAR(20/40) with a refraction of 0.00 diopters. Ophthalmic examination of the affected eye revealed a pinhole pupil (approximately 0.5 mm) with high light reflex sensitivity but no response to pupil-dilating drugs. The patient underwent pupilloplasty of the affected eye under corneal surface anesthesia. Postoperative examination revealed better ocular development in the affected eye than in the fellow eye (axial length: 24.21 vs. 27.02 mm, respectively) as well as better refractive status in the affected eye (BCVA of 0.0 logMAR(20/20) with a refraction of − 2.23 diopters cylinder/−3.00 diopters sphere vs. 0logMAR(20/20) with a refraction of -5.75 diopters cylinder/-2.25 diopters sphere).

We have reported a rare case of micropupil development secondary to congenital cataract surgery, which is an uncommon complication, especially in children. However, unlike congenital microcoria, the secondary pinhole pupil may have reduced imaging haze and halos, possibly favoring the development of the affected eye. This case provides further insight into the treatment of congenital cataract.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-024-03507-5.

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