Long-term Outcomes of Undercorrection Versus Full Correction After Unilateral Intraocular Lens Implantation in Children.

Abstract

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. Retrospective case control study. 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. 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. 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.