Clinical Characteristics of Electric Cataract.

Min, Hong Kee; Kim, Ki Ho; Choi, Young In

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1995;36(8):1307-1311.
Published online August 1, 1995.

Clinical Characteristics of Electric Cataract.

Hong Kee Min, Ki Ho Kim, Young In Choi

Department of Ophthalmology, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

전기성 백내장의 임상적 고찰

민홍기(Hong Kee Min),김기호(Ki Ho Kim),최영인(Young In Choi)

Abstract

To evaluate the various factors related to the development of electric cataract in electric burn patients, we reviewed medical charts of 663 electric burn patients who were admitted to the department of General Surgery in Hanil General Hospital between 1981 and 1993. Eleven patients(1.7%) had electric cataract in both eyes. All of them were injured by contact with 22,900 voltage current, and developed third degree burns. Fifty-eight electric burn patients had their electric inputs through their head and eight (13.8%) among them developed cataracts. Only three(0.5%) among 567 electric burn patients who had their electric inputs through upper extremities developed cataracts. The interval between the electric injury and the diagnosis was 2 to 18 months. Anterior subcapsular opacity was the most common type of lenticular opacity. Other associated ocular complications included uveitis, macular edema, macular degeneration, and macular hole.

Key Words: Anterior subcapsular opacity;Electric burn;Electric cataract;Electric input;Head