10d • General discussion
🌻 Traumatic Sunflower Cataract: From Blunt Injury to Excellent Outcome
Today we'd like to share a recent case of a sunflower cataract following blunt ocular trauma.
The patient presented with decreased vision after blunt trauma. Slit lamp examination revealed the classic petaloid, central anterior subcapsular opacity consistent with a sunflower cataract. While this pattern is classically associated with copper deposition (chalcosis), it can also develop after trauma due to disruption of lens metabolism.
Key clinical considerations in traumatic sunflower cataracts:
- Careful evaluation of the capsule — even when the opacity appears primarily anterior, subtle capsular compromise may be present.
- Thorough zonular assessment — look for phacodonesis or early lens instability.
- Gonioscopy — assess for angle recession.
- Dilated fundus examination — rule out commotio retinae, retinal tears, or dialysis.
- IOP monitoring — inflammatory and angle-related spikes are not uncommon.
In this case, the cataract progressed and became visually significant, and we proceeded with cataract extraction. Despite the traumatic etiology, zonular support was adequate, allowing for routine phacoemulsification with in-the-bag IOL placement. The procedure was performed at iSurgeon by Dr Ashvira Moodley.
Postoperatively, vision improved well — even in the presence of pre-existing macular scarring from the trauma — and the patient is very happy with the outcome.
A good reminder that even visually dramatic traumatic cataracts can carry an excellent prognosis with careful assessment, appropriate timing, and strong collaboration between optometry and ophthalmology.
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🌻 Traumatic Sunflower Cataract: From Blunt Injury to Excellent Outcome
