Authors: Viola Andin Dohvoma, Suzanne SAP, Steve Robert Ebana Mvogo, Vanessa Takou, Aboubakar Hassan, Emilienne Epee, Côme Ebana Mvogo.
Aim: to report the case of blindness from acute bilateral cataract in a refugee girl who underwent successful cataract surgery after management of malnutrition and poorly-controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
Report: A 14-year old refugee girl with poorly-controlled IDDM was referred to our eye clinic for the management of bilateral leukocoria. She was admitted into a paediatric unit where she was receiving treatment for urinary tract infection and severe chronic malnutrition. Manual small incision cataract surgery was done after the infection was treated, severe malnutrition was managed, and blood sugar was controlled. Visual outcome was good and there
was no diabetic retinopathy.
Conclusion: Patients with IDDM should undergo an initial ophthalmological screening as well as follow-up examinations. Awareness on blinding complications of IDDM should be raised amongst health care givers to displaced persons in order to permit early referrals and avoid blindness.
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