Ocular Axial Growth in Pseudophakic Eyes of Patients Operated for Monocular Infantile Cataract: Comparison of Operated and Fellow Eyes Measured at Surgery and 5 or More Years Later
Purpose
To compare change in axial length (AL) and rate of AL growth of eyes operated for monocular cataract surgery to that of the fellow unoperated eye.
Methods
The study is retrospective analysis. Study population: Infants operated by one surgeon for monocular cataract before seven months of age. Inclusion criteria: Unilateral congenital cataract, and Corneal diameter ≥ 9 mm. Exclusion criteria: age at cataract surgery more than 7 mos acquired cataract, persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) causing stretching of the ciliary process, corneal diameter < 9 mm, bilateral cataract, intraocular pressure ≥ 25 mmHg and residual aphakia. Globe axial length was measured by immersion ultrasound at surgery and 5 or more years later. Rate of AL growth was calculated as (postoperative AL minus preoperative AL)/preoperative AL x 100.
Results
We identified 29 children fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Average age at cataract surgery was 2.6 ±2.1 months, age at last follow-up was 7.7±2.7 years and duration of follow-up was 7.5±2.6 years. 15 eyes received a primary IOL while 14 eyes received a secondary IOL. Preoperatively, AL was significantly different between operative and fellow eye (18.1mm vs 18.8mm, P <0.001), however, at final follow-up it was not (22.4mm vs 22.8mm, P =0.187). AL growth of operative eye and fellow eye was not significantly different (4.2mm vs 4.0mm, P=0.451). Similarly, rate of growth of operative eye and fellow eye was also not significantly different (23.7 %vs 21.5%, P = 0.211).
Conclusion
Eyes operated for monocular cataract with primary or secondary IOL implantation have similar axial growth to that of fellow non-operated eyes despite having shorter axial length at the time of surgery.