Long-term Outcomes of Undercorrection Versus Full Correction After Unilateral Intraocular Lens Implantation in Children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of full correction vs undercorrection on the magnitude of the myopic shift and postoperative visual acuity after unilateral intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in children.


METHODS
Retrospective case control study.


METHODS
The medical records of 24 children who underwent unilateral cataract surgery and IOL implantation at 2 to <6 years of age were reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on their 1-month-postoperative refraction: Group 1 (full correction) -1.0 to +1.0 diopter (D) and Group 2 (undercorrection) ≥+2.0 D. The main outcome measures included the change in refractive error per year and visual acuity for the pseudophakic eyes at last follow-up visit. The groups were compared using the independent groups t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test.


RESULTS
The mean age at surgery (Group 1, 4.2±0.9 years, n=12; Group 2, 4.5±1.0 years, n=12; P=.45) and mean follow-up (Group 1, 5.8±3.7 years; Group 2, 6.1±3.5 years; P=.69) were similar for the 2 groups. The change in refractive error (Group 1, -0.4±0.5 D/y; Group 2, -0.3±0.2 D/y; P=.70) and last median logMAR acuity (Group 1, 0.4; Group 2, 0.4; P=.54) were not significantly different between the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find a significant difference in the myopic shift or the postoperative visual acuity in children aged 2 to <6 years of age following unilateral cataract surgery and IOL implantation if the initial postoperative refractive error was near emmetropia or undercorrected by 2 diopters or more.
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. slamber@emory.edu
Scott R
SR
Lambert
Steven M
SM
Archer
M Edward
ME
Wilson
Rupal H
RH
Trivedi
Monte A
MA
del Monte
Michael
M
Lynn
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*