A team at the Eye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry at Wenzhou Medical University in China have recently published their research on the effects of childhood cataract surgery in young children. The results show that the impact of nystagmus, strabismus and amblyopia, resulting from the cataracts, not from the surgery, have a significant impact on the quality of life of both the child and their parents, when compared to families where the child has full vision. This will come as no surprise to families living with a child who has nystagmus.
The quality of life is affected most for the child because of the impact of these eye conditions on the functional vision, meaning that they are more likely to be limited in the activities they can take part in at school and elsewhere. For parents, the most significant impact on the quality of their life is the constant worry about their child’s eyesight.
It is thought that the best solution would be to bring cataract surgery forward in these children, before the nystagmus, strabismus or amblyopia has time to develop.
