Outcome after cataract surgery with IOL implantation in adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic…

Cohort studyThe British journal of ophthalmology· Aug 2026

Outcome after cataract surgery with IOL implantation in adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) associated or ANA-positive anterior uveitis.

Johanna Backes, Charlotte Wortmann, Kai Rothaus … Arnd Heiligenhaus

Pediatric RheumatologyCohort studyQ1IF 5.2

Cataract surgery improved visual acuity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated or antinuclear antibodies-positive uveitis

Outcome after cataract surgery with IOL implantation in adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) associated or ANA-positive anterior uveitis.

Johanna Backes … Arnd Heiligenhaus

The British journal of ophthalmology · Aug 2026

Purpose

Cataract surgery in patients with chronic anterior uveitis may be associated with increased risk for complications and poor outcomes.

Methods

Data before and at 6 weeks, 1 and 2 years after surgery were retrospectively analysed according to Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature) standards.

n = 83 patients

Results

vision improved after surgery, lower logMAR means sharper sight

1.57logMAR

Preoperative

0.42logMAR

2 years postoperative

More results

Preoperative treatment included topical steroids, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs; 72.0%) or biological (b) DMARDs (65.6%).

Besides cataract, uveitis-related complications (eg, fibrotic lens membrane, posterior synechiae and pupil contraction) were present in 95.7% before surgery.

More results

Postoperative complications included posterior synechiae formation (30%), giant-cell deposits (35.7%), posterior capsule opacification (51.9%) and macular oedema (12.7%).

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Beneficial outcomes can be achieved following cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation in adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated or antinuclear antibodies-positive anterior uveitis.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Important prerequisites include preoperative inactivity, appropriate surgical technique and sustained long-term uveitis inactivity with the use of DMARDs.