title: Lens surgery in infancy and childhood.
abstract: The medical records of 224 children who had lens surgery performed at the Hospital for Sick Children during the 10-year period 1978-88 were reviewed. There were 12 children with ectopia lentis; these patients achieved a mean postoperative acuity of 0.68 (6/8.8), and no operative or postoperative complications were noted. Two hundred and twelve children had lens surgery for cataracts or for retrolental abnormalities with a clear lens. Children with bilateral congenital cataracts achieved a mean acuity in the better eye of 0.32 (6/18). In a series of carefully controlled unilateral congenital cataracts the visual results were poor. The postoperative complication rate for cataract and clear lens surgery was 4.6%. Because visual results are probably better with early surgery we emphasise that every newborn baby should be tested for media opacities.
authors.affiliation: Hospitals for Sick Children, London.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hing
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Speedwell
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004479:Ectopia Lentis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007905:Lens Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity