Cerulean Cataract in a Person with Down s Syndrome

Clinical Image

We report the case of an 18-year-old patient who consults for a loss of visual acuity in the right eye for 1 year. On clinical examination, visual acuity is 20/100. Eye tone is 12 mmhg. Examination of the anterior segment shows the existence of a cataract made up of whitish opacities corresponding to a congenital cerulean cataract (Figure 1). The treatment consisted of a cataract cure by phacoemulsification with good progress. Cerulean cataract is a rare congenital form of bluish tint, made up of whitish opacities in concentric layers with a radial arrangement at their center. Visual acuity is fairly good in childhood but may deteriorate later. In the literature, the incidence of cataracts in Down’s children ranges from 5% to 50%. In previous studies of congenital or infantile cataract, 3-5 % of cases were associated with Down’s syndrome [1].

    

    

    Figure 1: Image of the anterior segment showing a cerulean cataract.