Ocular Changes in Egyptian Children on Regular Hemodialysis

Background: Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) may cause ocular disorders for many reasons such as uraemia, haemodialysis and hypertension. Aim: To study the ocular changes in a group of Egyptian children with chronic kidney disease on regular hemodialysis. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on 30 children on regular hemodialysis and another 30 age and sex-matched healthy children as controls. Their ages ranged from 4 to 17 years. Complete ophthalmological examination including; visual acuity and refraction, anterior segment examination, intraocular pressure (IOP), fundus examination and colored photography were assessed in the same line with routine laboratory investigations for children on regular hemodialysis and their controls. The relation of ocular disorders with related clinical and biochemical variables was measured statistically. Results: The most common eye abnormalities recorded were decreased visual acuity in Lt eye (73.3%) and Rt eye (60%), followed by corneal & conjunctiva calcification were (16.7%) and (13.3%) respectively and fundal changes (13.3%) of the study population. A significant positive relation was found between fundal changes particularly tortuous blood vessel abnormalities with the duration of hemodialysis and serum creatinine level. Conclusion: Ocular abnormalities are common than expected in children on regular hemodialysis. Visual acuity disorder is the major ocular abnormalities recorded in those patients. Regular ophthalmologic assessment is recommended in children to prevent longer-term visual complications.