Primary intraocular lens implantation for unilateral idiopathic cataract in children.

BACKGROUND To examine the efficacy of intraocular lens implantation on visual rehabilitation and ocular growth in children with unilateral idiopathic cataracts. METHODS Preoperative characteristics, visual outcome and postoperative refraction change were analyzed through a retrospective study of the charts of children who underwent cataract removal and primary intraocular lens implantation for unilateral idiopathic cataracts between 1994 and 2003. RESULTS Thirty-one children were included in this study. Preoperatively, 83% of the eyes with cataracts had best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of less than 20/200. Posterior subcapsular opacity was the most common type of cataract. The average age at surgery was 66.8 months (range 14-115 months) and the mean follow-up was 43.4 months (range 12-117 months). At the final visit, there was no significant difference in refractive development between the pseudophakic eyes and the fellow eyes of the subjects. Sixty percent of the pseudophakic eyes had a BCVA of 20/200 or better and 37% had a BCVA of 20/60 or better. Preoperative visual acuity was the only significant factor related to visual outcome. CONCLUSION Primary intraocular lens implantation in children with unilateral idiopathic cataracts is an effective treatment for visual rehabilitation. The refractive development of the pseudophakic eyes was not significantly different from the fellow eyes.