Visual outcome after surgery for Peters' anomaly.

The authors reviewed the charts of 22 patients with Peters' anomaly. Various surgical procedures were performed on 30 eyes of 18 patients (mean number of procedures = 3.3 per eye). Follow-up averaged six years. Visual acuity varied widely, with six eyes having an acuity of 20/400 or better, and 11 eyes with no light perception. Concomitant or secondary glaucoma required a greater number of surgical procedures (4.1 vs 3.4) per eye and was associated with a poorer visual outcome. No eyes with glaucoma had visual acuity better than 20/400. In bilaterally operated patients, visual results in one eye were independent of the outcome of the fellow eye. The range of visual acuity in bilaterally operated patients was similar to the vision in those operated unilaterally. Visual outcome in patients with Peters' anomaly remains guarded. With modern surgical techniques and aggressive attempts at visual rehabilitation, many patients may benefit from surgery. Some patients may have moderately good visual acuity for months or years before vision is lost. In the interim they may learn tasks they may not have otherwise acquired.