cataract etiology in children less than 3 years of age at khalili hospital, shiraz-iran

purpose: to evaluate the etiology of cataracts in children less than 3 years of age particularly the association of rubella virus infection and galactosuria with congenital cataracts at khalili hospital, shiraz-iran from 2003 to 2006. methods: this prospective study included 46 patients less than 3 years undergoing lensectomy for the management of significant cataracts. lens aspirate specimens were obtained from some cases. serum samples for detection of anti-rubella igm and igg antibodies and urine samples for detection of galactose were also obtained. results: out of 46 patients, 78.3% had congenital cataracts and 21.7% had traumatic cataracts. patients with congenital cataracts were male in 45% and female in 55% with mean age of 5.12±5.23 months at the time of diagnosis. in the congenital cataract group, 2.8% had history of failure to thrive and 16.7% had low birth weight; 80.6% had bilateral and 19.4% had unilateral cataracts; 77.8% had isolated cataracts, 16.7% were associated with other ocular disorders and 5.6% were associated with systemic diseases; 11.1% had family history of congenital cataracts and 10.5% had galactosuria. rubella virus was isolated from one (5.3%) of 19 cultured lens aspirates. no cases had anti-rubella igm antibody. conclusion: congenital cataract is the most common type of cataracts in children under age 3 years in our area and most of them are idiopathic. the prevalence of rubella induced cataract in our country is less than developing countries but more than developed countries.