Retinitis Pigmentosa and Cataract: Treatment Strategies and Current Approaches

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal degenerative disease that primarily affects rod cells and is associated with several ocular complications, including cataract. Cataract secondary to RP occurs at a younger age, with the most common type being the posterior subcapsular cataract. The inflammatory response associated with RP is believed to be the primary pathology responsible for the development of complicated cataracts. Although phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation are the preferred surgical methods for these patients, the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications is higher than in normal eyes. Furthermore, postoperative visual prognosis evaluation can be challenging due to the presence of retinal pathology accompanying cataract. In this review, we discuss the morphology and potential pathogenesis of cataract secondary to RP, preoperative and intraoperative precautions, cataract surgical procedure, assessment of visual prognosis, and complications management.