Purpose: We examined the efficacy of intraocular lens implantation (IOL) in children younger than 4 years of age for unilateral aphakic visual rehabilitation.
Methods: Twenty-one patients underwent unilateral cataract extraction, IOL placement, posterior capsulotomy, and anterior vitrectomy between 1990 and 1994. Postoperative vision, refractive change, and complications were monitored prospectively. Two cataract subgroups were analyzed: 12 patients with infantile (congenital and developmental) cataracts, and nine patients with posttraumatic cataracts.
Results: Overall age at surgery averaged 26 months (range 9 to 44 months), with follow up of 5 to 55 months. Fifty-two percent achieved 20/40 or better vision: 42% in the infantile group and 67% in the traumatic group. IOL power averaged 22.6 diopters (D). The difference between predicted and actual postoperative refraction was less than 1 D in 70%. After 6 months, the average change in refraction was 0.50 D (21 patients). An increasing myopic shift of 1.10 D at 12 months (14 patients), 1.80 D at 18 months (nine patients), and 2.90 D after 24 months (eight patients) was noted. This trend was greater in the infantile group. Amblyopia treatment was implemented in 18 patients. Half have completed occlusion successfully, one third continue therapy, 17% are treatment failures, and 11% (two patients) were lost to follow up. Six patients required strabismus surgery; five had infantile cataracts. Postoperative complications occurred in four eyes, two infantile and two traumatic; they consisted of posttraumatic temporal IOL dislocation, corectopia, partial pupillary capture of an IOL, and partial pupillary membrane.
Conclusion: Primary IOL implantation is an effective way to rapidly achieve aphakic visual rehabilitation in preschool children. We continue to evaluate the long-term safety and effects of pediatric pseudophakia.