title: Effect of unilateral congenital cataract surgery on ocular axial length growth and corneal flattening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this article is to study the effect of unilateral congenital cataract surgery on ocular growth and corneal flattening.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study of 59 patients operated on due to a unilateral congenital cataract. The median age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 17 months (interquartile range, 5-39 months). The median age at cataract the time of surgery was 28 months (interquartile range, 8-52 months), and the mean follow-up between cataract surgery and assessments was 149.7±69.9 months (range, 30-319 months). Axial length and corneal curvature were measured in both operated and non-operated eyes, comparing the results between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences for axial length growth or corneal flattening between operated and non-operated eyes: axial length (P=.327, Student t test) and corneal curvature (P=.078, Student t test). A sub-analysis was performed using the visual acuity and the age of the patient at the time of surgery. The only statistically significant data (P=.007, Student t test) was a lower axial length in operated eyes compared to non-operated eyes, in the non-deep-amblyopia group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant axial length growth modifications were observed between operated and non-operated eyes. Only the non-deep-amblyopia group presented with a lower axial length in the operated eyes compared to non-operated eyes. No significant differences in corneal flattening were found between groups after unilateral congenital cataract surgery.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Manacor, Islas Baleares, España. Electronic address: rborghol@hospitalmanacor.org.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borghol-Kassar
authors.affiliation: Fundación Oftalmológica del Mediterráneo, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Menezo-Rozalén
authors.affiliation: Unidad de de Oftalmología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Harto-Castaño
authors.affiliation: Fundación Oftalmológica del Mediterráneo, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Desco-Esteban
mesh_terms: D000550:Amblyopia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001036:Aphakia, Postcataract / Q000150:complications; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003261:Contact Lenses; D003315:Cornea / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000150:complications
keywords: Axial length; Biometry; Biometría; Cataratas congénitas; Congenital cataract; Corneal curvature; Curvatura corneal; Keratometry; Longitud axial; Queratometría