title: Surgical management of congenital cataract associated with severe microphthalmos.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the results of cataract surgery in children with severe microphthalmos and congenital cataract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seoul National University, Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul, Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective studies were conducted by reviewing the charts of 20 eyes of 11 patients with severe microcornea and microphthalmos or severe microcornea with a corneal diameter smaller than 9.0 mm. The patient pool was divided according to surgical method, specifically by incision site: an anterior group that had corneal limbal incisions and a posterior group treated via pars plicata incisions. Preoperative examinations included bilaterality, corneal diameter, axial length, and eye and systemic abnormalities. Postoperative results and complications of the 2 operative methods were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 11 patients had bilateral congenital cataract and microphthalmos. Except in 1 case, surgeries were done in patients ranging in age from 2 to 16 months. Mean follow-up was 2 years. Corneal diameter was smaller than 9.0 mm in all 20 eyes and smaller than 7.5 mm in 11 eyes. Ten eyes were categorized into the anterior group, and the other 10 eyes were placed in the posterior group. Postoperative complications included secondary membranes in 3 eyes in the posterior group and corneal opacity in 3 eyes in the anterior group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surgical management of children with congenital cataract and severe microphthalmos is recommended as a way to improve vision but must be performed carefully to avoid complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. ysyu@snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003315:Cornea / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008850:Microphthalmos / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014821:Vitrectomy