A 6-month-old infant is found to have a dense unilateral congenital cataract. The most important reason to operate early (before 6–8 weeks of age, or as soon as detected) is:

• A To prevent glaucoma from lens-induced uveitis
• B To prevent posterior capsule opacification
• C To prevent irreversible deprivation amblyopia ✓
• D To allow accurate IOL power calculation

Explanation

The critical period of visual development in humans is approximately the first 8–10 weeks of life, when the visual cortex is maximally plastic. A dense unilateral cataract deprives the cortex of patterned light stimulation, leading to irreversible deprivation amblyopia if not corrected promptly. Early surgery followed by optical rehabilitation (contact lens) and aggressive amblyopia therapy (patching of the fellow eye) are essential for visual development.

Reference: Khurana Comprehensive Ophthalmology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.