title: Surgical technique, visual outcome, and complications of pediatric intraocular lens implantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate retrospectively the surgical technique, visual outcome, and complications of pediatric cataract extraction (CE) and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three patients ages 2 to 12 underwent CE with IOL implantation with a minimum follow up of 1 month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All IOLs were implanted in the posterior chamber with 17 (40%) in the bag, 25 (58%) sulcus fixated, and one (2%) partially in the bag (one haptic in the bag, one in the sulcus). Primary posterior capsulectomy was performed in 12 (28%) cases. A final visual acuity of at least 20/40 was achieved in 26 (60%) and at least 20/80 in 32 (74%). Posterior capsule opacification developed in 18 (42%) and pupillary capture in 7 (16%). Seventeen (40%) patients had postoperative visual acuity worse than 20/40. Of these, nine (53%) had this visual outcome as a result of presumed amblyopia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posterior chamber IOL implantation affords a safe and effective method of visual rehabilitation for cataractous children 2 years of age and older. Amblyopia and antecedent posterior segment trauma, rather than IOL-related or surgical complications, are the limiting factors in final visual outcome.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Siatkowski
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schiffman
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Capó
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity