Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Open Access

Abstract

Ipsilateral White Cataract Following Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Aliyya Badaruddin and May May Choo

Purpose: There is a rising concern over the increasing amount of radiation exposure in patients undergoing diagnostic imaging and medical procedures. A case of rapid visual deterioration following a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has been described. The aim of this paper is to report the formation of semi-acute white cataract following a PCNL procedure. Method: Case Report Results: A 57-year-old gentleman with underlying hypertension, gout and history of right nephrolithiasis complained of rapid deterioration in his right eye (RE) vision for 3 months duration. It was not associated with eye pain, redness, eye discharge or history of eye trauma. He denied taking steroids or any over-the-counter medication. However, prior to that he underwent a PCNL procedure for right nephrolithiasis. His visual acuity was 6/60 on the affected eye. Anterior segment examination reveals dense white cataract on the RE which turned out to be dense cortical matter following phacoemulsification. Conclusion: Although uncommon and not routinely discussed between surgeons and patients, PCNL may cause a semi-acute cataract formation secondary to radiation associated with the procedure. In view of the increasing trend of radiation involved in the management of nephrolithiasis, both surgeons and patients need to be made aware of this complication and the possible ways to overcome it.