CHRISTMAS TREE CATARACT: A CASE REPORT

Introduction: Christmas tree cataract is a rare lens opacity characterized by polychromatic, needle-shaped crystals in the deep cortex, usually found incidentally on slit-lamp examination. 
Case: A 65-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes treated with oral antidiabetic drugs presented with progressive unilateral visual loss and coloured halos around lights, worse at night. Corrected distance visual acuity was 5/10 in the left eye and 9/10 in the right eye. Slit-lamp examination of the left eye showed multicoloured refractile opacities in the central and temporal anterior cortex, associated with nuclear cataract. Dilated fundus examination showed no diabetic retinopathy. Phacoemulsification with in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation was performed, and visual acuity reached 10/10 one month postoperatively. 
Conclusion: Although often asymptomatic, Christmas tree cataract can cause significant visual disturbance and is effectively treated by standard phacoemulsification.