Role of ultrasound and biomicroscopy in evaluation of anterior segment anatomy in congenital and developmental cataract cases

Purpose To investigate the role of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in the evaluation of anterior segment anatomy in cases of congenital and developmental cataract. Setting Alexandria Main University Hospital, Ophthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. Methods In this cross-sectional nonrandomized unmasked study, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) was used to evaluate the anterior segment anatomy of 32 eyes of 21 children with congenital and developmental cataract. The parents were questioned for details of the children's history. An initial office examination was done to detect visual function, pupil color, lens morphology, corneal clarity, and presence of gross anterior segment anomaly. If the fundus was visible, it was examined in cooperative children after mydriasis. Under general anesthesia, each child was examined by UBM. Results The parameters detected by UBM included anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, zonular fiber length, ciliary process length, anterior chamber angle, and lens morphology. A-scan biometry was also performed to detect anterior chamber biometric characteristics. Conclusion Ultrasound biomicroscopy is a valuable tool for evaluating childhood cataracts and associated ocular anomalies as well as anterior segment biometric characteristics.