Abstract

Study Design: Case Report
Purpose
To report the case of a child with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, developing bilateral nuclear cataracts while receiving deferasirox chelation monotherapy.
Methods
15-year-old girl with beta thalassemia came to us after whitish opacities were noted in both her eyes. She took deferasirox for last 10 years, while receiving monthly blood transfusions. Slit lamp examination revealed central cataracts with nuclear morphology, 2.5mm in diameter in both eyes.
Results
Cataracts in beta-thalassemia patients have morphology ranging from peripheral cortical to mild sutural opacities, typically not involving visual axis. With deferasirox increasingly being used as an oral chelator, we describe the morphology of cataract possible with it.
Conclusions
As is with deferoxamine & deferiprone, understanding likelihood of cataracts with deferasirox will help to prevent their occurrence, thus avoiding visual decline in already debilitated thalassemia patients.