UK screening for congenital cataracts needs improving

All babies born in the United Kingdom are routinely examined at birth and at 6-8 weeks to detect cataract and other serious ophthalmic disorders. In a national cross sectional study by the British Congenital Cataract Interest Group (p 362), however, only 47% of children with newly diagnosed congenital and infantile cataract in one year were detected through these examinations. Although 57% of the children had been examined by an ophthalmologist by 3 months, 33% were not assessed until after their first birthday. As treatment of dense cataract must take place within the first 3 months to be fully effective, steps need to be taken to increase the proportion of cases detected by this age.


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Relevant Article

National cross sectional study of detection of congenital and infantile cataract in the United Kingdom: role of childhood screening and surveillance

Jugnoo S Rahi and Carol Dezateux
BMJ 1999 318: 362-365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]