AIM: To study the safety profile of primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in children below 2 years of age METHODS: Retrospective, non-comparative, consecutive and interventional clinical case series of all patients who underwent surgery between January 2006 and December 2007. RESULTS: The data were collected for 120 eyes of 80 children with congenital/developmental cataract with a mean follow-up of 8.85 ± 7.73 months (median 6, range 3-40). The age ranged from 1 to 23 months (mean 11.21 ± 5.90 months, median 10 months). 31 eyes were operated on before the age of 6 months, and 89 were operated on after 6 months of age. The axial length of children ranged from 16.27 mm to 25.65 mm (mean 19.84 ± 1.71, median 19.65). The IOL power implanted in these children ranged from 11 D to 30 D (mean 24.51 ± 4.06 D, median 25.00). 30 eyes were implanted with rigid polymethylmethacrylate lenses, and the remaining 90 received acrylic hydrophobic foldable lenses. 8 eyes (6.7%) developed opacification of the visual axis, decentration of IOL was noticed in 2 (1.7%), increased anterior chamber inflammation was observed in five eyes (4.2%) in the early postoperative period, pigment dispersion on IOL was seen in four eyes (3.3%), and posterior synechiae were noticed in five eyes (4.2%). None of the children developed glaucoma; nor were there any endophthalmitis and retinal detachment at the last follow-up. There was no difference in terms of complications in children younger than 6 months and older than 6 months. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that implantation of IOL in children below 2 years of age is safe and can be considered as a viable option for their visual rehabilitation.
AIM: To study the safety profile of primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in children below 2 years of age METHODS: Retrospective, non-comparative, consecutive and interventional clinical case series of all patients who underwent surgery between January 2006 and December 2007. RESULTS: The data were collected for 120 eyes of 80 children with congenital/developmental cataract with a mean follow-up of 8.85 ± 7.73 months (median 6, range 3-40). The age ranged from 1 to 23 months (mean 11.21 ± 5.90 months, median 10 months). 31 eyes were operated on before the age of 6 months, and 89 were operated on after 6 months of age. The axial length of children ranged from 16.27 mm to 25.65 mm (mean 19.84 ± 1.71, median 19.65). The IOL power implanted in these children ranged from 11 D to 30 D (mean 24.51 ± 4.06 D, median 25.00). 30 eyes were implanted with rigid polymethylmethacrylate lenses, and the remaining 90 received acrylic hydrophobic foldable lenses. 8 eyes (6.7%) developed opacification of the visual axis, decentration of IOL was noticed in 2 (1.7%), increased anterior chamber inflammation was observed in five eyes (4.2%) in the early postoperative period, pigment dispersion on IOL was seen in four eyes (3.3%), and posterior synechiae were noticed in five eyes (4.2%). None of the children developed glaucoma; nor were there any endophthalmitis and retinal detachment at the last follow-up. There was no difference in terms of complications in children younger than 6 months and older than 6 months. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that implantation of IOL in children below 2 years of age is safe and can be considered as a viable option for their visual rehabilitation.