Incidence of Glaucoma-Related Adverse Events in the First 5 Years After Pediatric Lensectomy.

Importance: Glaucoma can develop following cataract removal in children. Objective: To assess the cumulative incidence of glaucoma-related adverse events (defined as glaucoma or glaucoma suspect) and factors associated with risk of these adverse events in the first 5 years after lensectomy prior to 13 years of age. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used longitudinal registry data collected at enrollment and annually for 5 years from 45 institutional and 16 community sites. Participants were children aged 12 years or younger with at least 1 office visit after lensectomy from June 2012 to July 2015. Data were analyzed from February through December 2022. Exposures: Usual clinical care after lensectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were cumulative incidence of glaucoma-related adverse events and baseline factors associated with risk of these adverse events. Results: The study included 810 children (1049 eyes); 443 eyes of 321 children (55% female; mean [SD] age, 0.89 [1.97] years) were aphakic after lensectomy, and 606 eyes of 489 children (53% male; mean [SD] age, 5.65 [3.32] years) were pseudophakic. The 5-year cumulative incidence of glaucoma-related adverse events was 29% (95% CI, 25%-34%) in 443 eyes with aphakia and 7% (95% CI, 5%-9%) in 606 eyes with pseudophakia; 7% (95% CI, 5%-10%) of aphakic eyes and 3% (95% CI, 2%-5%) of pseudophakic eyes were diagnosed as glaucoma suspect. Among aphakic eyes, a higher risk for glaucoma-related adverse events was associated with 4 of 8 factors, including age less than 3 months (vs ≥3 months: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.88; 99% CI, 1.57-5.23), abnormal anterior segment (vs normal: aHR, 2.88; 99% CI, 1.56-5.30), intraoperative complications at time of lensectomy (vs none; aHR, 2.25; 99% CI, 1.04-4.87), and bilaterality (vs unilaterality: aHR, 1.88; 99% CI, 1.02-3.48). Neither of the 2 factors evaluated for pseudophakic eyes, laterality and anterior vitrectomy, were associated with risk of glaucoma-related adverse events. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, glaucoma-related adverse events were common after cataract surgery in children; age less than 3 months at surgery was associated with elevated risk of the adverse events in aphakic eyes. Children with pseudophakia, who were older at surgery, less frequently developed a glaucoma-related adverse event within 5 years of lensectomy. The findings suggest that ongoing monitoring for the development of glaucoma is needed after lensectomy at any age.

Visual Acuity and Ophthalmic Outcomes 5 Years After Cataract Surgery Among Children Younger Than 13 Years.

IMPORTANCE: Cataract is an important cause of visual impairment in children. Data from a large pediatric cataract surgery registry can provide real-world estimates of visual outcomes and the 5-year cumulative incidence of adverse events. OBJECTIVE: To assess visual acuity (VA), incidence of complications and additional eye operations, and refractive error outcomes 5 years after pediatric lensectomy among children younger than 13 years. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study used data from the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group clinical research registry. From June 2012 to July 2015, 61 eye care practices in the US, Canada, and the UK enrolled children from birth to less than 13 years of age who had undergone lensectomy for any reason during the preceding 45 days. Data were collected from medical record reviews annually thereafter for 5 years until September 28, 2020. EXPOSURES: Lensectomy with or without implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Best-corrected VA and refractive error were measured from 4 to 6 years after the initial lensectomy. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the 5-year incidence of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect and additional eye operations. Factors were evaluated separately for unilateral and bilateral aphakia and pseudophakia. RESULTS: A total of 994 children (1268 eyes) undergoing bilateral or unilateral lensectomy were included (504 [51%] male; median age, 3.6 years; range, 2 weeks to 12.9 years). Five years after the initial lensectomy, the median VA among 701 eyes with available VA data (55%) was 20/63 (range, 20/40 to 20/100) in 182 of 316 bilateral aphakic eyes (58%), 20/32 (range, 20/25 to 20/50) in 209 of 386 bilateral pseudophakic eyes (54%), 20/200 (range, 20/50 to 20/618) in 124 of 202 unilateral aphakic eyes (61%), and 20/65 (range, 20/32 to 20/230) in 186 of 364 unilateral pseudophakic eyes (51%). The 5-year cumulative incidence of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect was 46% (95% CI, 28%-59%) in participants with bilateral aphakia, 7% (95% CI, 1%-12%) in those with bilateral pseudophakia, 25% (95% CI, 15%-34%) in those with unilateral aphakia, and 17% (95% CI, 5%-28%) in those with unilateral pseudophakia. The most common additional eye surgery was clearing the visual axis, with a 5-year cumulative incidence of 13% (95% CI, 8%-17%) in participants with bilateral aphakia, 33% (95% CI, 26%-39%) in those with bilateral pseudophakia, 11% (95% CI, 6%-15%) in those with unilateral aphakia, and 34% (95% CI, 28%-39%) in those with unilateral pseudophakia. The median 5-year change in spherical equivalent refractive error was -8.38 D (IQR, -11.38 D to -2.75 D) among 89 bilateral aphakic eyes, -1.63 D (IQR, -3.13 D to -0.25 D) among 130 bilateral pseudophakic eyes, -10.75 D (IQR, -20.50 D to -4.50 D) among 43 unilateral aphakic eyes, and -1.94 D (IQR, -3.25 D to -0.69 D) among 112 unilateral pseudophakic eyes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, development of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect was common in children 5 years after lensectomy. Myopic shift was modest during the 5 years after placement of an intraocular lens, which should be factored into implant power selection. These results support frequent monitoring after pediatric cataract surgery to detect glaucoma, visual axis obscuration causing reduced vision, and refractive error.

Glaucoma-Related Adverse Events at 10 Years in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Glaucoma-related adverse events constitute serious complications of cataract removal in infancy, yet long-term data on incidence and visual outcome remain lacking. Objective: To identify and characterize incident cases of glaucoma and glaucoma-related adverse events (glaucoma + glaucoma suspect) among children in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) by the age of 10.5 years and to determine whether these diagnoses are associated with optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) assessment. Design, Setting, and Participants: Analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataract who were aged 1 to 6 months at surgery. Data on long-term glaucoma-related status and outcomes were collected when children were 10.5 years old (July 14, 2015, to July 12, 2019) and analyzed from March 30, 2019, to August 6, 2019. Interventions: Participants were randomized at cataract surgery to either primary intraocular lens (IOL), or aphakia (contact lens [CL]). Standardized definitions of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect were created for IATS and applied for surveillance and diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Development of glaucoma and glaucoma + glaucoma suspect in operated-on eyes up to age 10.5 years, plus intraocular pressure, axial length, RNFL (by optical coherence tomography), and ONH photographs. Results: In Kaplan-Meier analysis, for all study eyes combined (n = 114), risk of glaucoma after cataract removal rose from 9% (95% CI, 5%-16%) at 1 year, to 17% (95% CI, 11%-25%) at 5 years, to 22% (95% CI, 16%-31%) at 10 years. The risk of glaucoma plus glaucoma suspect diagnosis after cataract removal rose from 12% (95% CI, 7%-20%) at 1 year, to 31% (95% CI, 24%-41%) at 5 years, to 40% (95% CI, 32%-50%) at 10 years. Risk of glaucoma and glaucoma plus glaucoma suspect diagnosis at 10 years was not significantly different between treatment groups. Eyes with glaucoma (compared with eyes with glaucoma suspect or neither) had longer axial length but relatively preserved RNFL and similar ONH appearance and visual acuity at age 10 years. Conclusions and Relevance: Risk of glaucoma-related adverse events continues to increase with longer follow-up of children following unilateral cataract removal in infancy and is not associated with primary IOL implantation. Development of glaucoma (or glaucoma suspect) after removal of unilateral congenital cataract was not associated with worse visual acuity outcomes at 10 years. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00212134.

Outcomes of Bilateral Cataract Surgery in Infants 7 to 24 Months of Age Using the Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Treatment Study Registry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcomes of bilateral cataract surgery in children aged 7 to 24 months and compare rates of adverse events (AEs) with other Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Study (TAPS) registry outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study at 10 Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) sites. Statistical analyses comparing this cohort with previously reported TAPS registry cohorts. PARTICIPANTS: Children enrolled in the TAPS registry between 2004 and 2010. METHODS: Children underwent bilateral cataract surgery with or without intraocular lens (IOL) placement at age 7 to 24 months with 5 years of postsurgical follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity (VA), occurrence of strabismus, AEs, and reoperations. RESULTS: A total of 40 children (76 eyes) who underwent bilateral cataract surgery with primary posterior capsulectomy were identified with a median age at cataract surgery of 11 months (7-23); 68% received a primary IOL. Recurrent visual axis opacification (VAO) occurred in 7.5% and was associated only with the use of an IOL (odds ratio, 6.10; P = 0.005). Glaucoma suspect (GS) was diagnosed in 2.5%, but no child developed glaucoma. In this bilateral cohort, AEs (8/40, 20%), including glaucoma or GS and VAO, and reoperations occurred in a similar proportion to that of the published unilateral TAPS cohort. When analyzed with children aged 1 to 7 months at bilateral surgery, the incidence of AEs and glaucoma or GS correlated strongly with age at surgery (P = 0.011/0.004) and glaucoma correlated with microcornea (P = 0.040) but not with IOL insertion (P = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up to age 5 years after bilateral cataract surgery in children aged 7 to 24 months reveals a low rate of VAO and very rare glaucoma or GS diagnosis compared with infants with cataracts operated at < 7 months of age despite primary IOL implantation in most children in the group aged 7 to 24 months. The use of an IOL increases the risk of VAO irrespective of age at surgery.

Results of a clinical evaluation of a trifocal intraocular lens in Japan.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) after cataract removal in patients living in Japan. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective multicenter clinical study. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-five eyes of 68 patients (19 men, 49 women; mean age, 66.3 ± 7.4 years) were followed for 6 months. Trifocal IOLs with focal points at near, intermediate, and distance were implanted bilaterally in eyes with less than 1 diopter of corneal astigmatism. The visual acuity (VA) at distance, 60 and 40 centimeters (cm), and contrast sensitivities were measured. Patients completed quality-of-life questionnaires preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean bilateral logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA at 5 meters (m), 60 cm, and 40 cm were, respectively: uncorrected, - 0.104 ± 0.095, - 0.065 ± 0.111, and - 0.042 ± 0.105; and distance-corrected, - 0.197 ± 0.076, - 0.112 ± 0.111, and - 0.073 ± 0.111. The contrast sensitivities at distance and near were within the normal range at all spatial frequencies under photopic conditions. Patients reported complete spectacle independence in 75.0% of cases. Total use of spectacles was reported by 1.5% and partial by 20.6%; the purpose of spectacle use was primarily for near visual tasks. Mild-to-moderate glare was reported by 65.7% of patients and halos by 70.1%; only 1.5% of subjects reported severe glare and halos. CONCLUSIONS: This new trifocal IOL provides equally good uncorrected VAs at distance, intermediate, and near, and decreases spectacle dependence in daily life. Patients frequently report mild-to-moderate glare and halos, and patients should be informed about these before implantation.

Incidence and Management of Glaucoma or Glaucoma Suspect in the First Year After Pediatric Lensectomy.

Importance: Glaucoma can occur following cataract removal in children, and determining the risk for and factors associated with glaucoma and glaucoma suspect in a large cohort of children after lensectomy can guide clinical practice. Objective: To estimate the incidence of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect and describe its management in the first year following lensectomy in children before 13 years of age. Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter clinical research registry containing data for 1361 eyes of 994 children who underwent unilateral or bilateral lensectomy between June 2012 and July 2015 at 1 of 61 sites in the United States (n = 57), Canada (n = 3), and the United Kingdom (n = 1). Patients were eligible for inclusion in the study if they were enrolled in the registry within 45 days after lensectomy and had at least 1 office visit between 6 and 18 months after lensectomy. Patient data were reviewed, and glaucoma and glaucoma suspect were diagnosed by investigators using standardized criteria. Statistical analysis was performed between June 2017 and August 2019. Exposures: Clinical care 6 to 18 months after lensectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence risk using standardized definitions of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect after lensectomy. Results: Among 702 patients included in this cohort study, 353 (50.3%) were male and 427 (60.8%) were white; mean age at lensectomy was 3.4 years (range, 0.04-12.9 years). After lensectomy, glaucoma or glaucoma suspect was diagnosed in 66 of 970 eyes (adjusted overall incidence risk, 6.3%; 95% CI, 4.8%-8.3%). Glaucoma was diagnosed in 52 of the 66 eyes, and glaucoma suspect was diagnosed in the other 14 eyes. Mean age at lensectomy in these 66 eyes was 1.9 years (range, 0.07-11.2 years), and 40 of the 66 (60.6%) were eyes of female patients. Glaucoma surgery was performed in 23 of the 66 eyes (34.8%) at a median of 3.3 months (range, 0.9-14.8 months) after lensectomy. The incidence risk of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect was 15.7% (99% CI, 10.1%-24.5%) for 256 eyes of infants 3 months or younger at lensectomy vs 3.4% (99% CI, 1.9%-6.2%) for 714 eyes of infants older than 3 months (relative risk, 4.57; 99% CI, 2.19-9.57; P < .001) and 11.2% (99% CI, 7.6%-16.7%) for 438 aphakic eyes vs 2.6% (99% CI, 1.2%-5.6%) for 532 pseudophakic eyes (relative risk, 4.29; 99% CI, 1.84-10.01; P < .001). No association was observed between risk of developing glaucoma or glaucoma suspect and any of the following variables: sex, race/ethnicity, laterality of lensectomy, performance of anterior vitrectomy, prelensectomy presence of anterior segment abnormality, or intraoperative complications. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that glaucoma or glaucoma suspect developed in a small number of eyes in the first year after lensectomy and may be associated with aphakia and younger age at lensectomy. Frequent monitoring for signs of glaucoma following lensectomy is warranted, especially in infants 3 months or younger at lensectomy and in children with aphakia after lensectomy.

Anterior chamber angle and intraocular pressure changes after eventless phacoemulsification surgery in non-glaucomatous Egyptian patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate the angle of the anterior chamber (ACA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) changes following eventless phacoemulsification surgery done for non-glaucomatous Egyptian patients. METHODS: A prospective, interventional study involved 126 cataractous patients undergoing phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Patients were investigated for ACA and IOP preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 month and 6 months. Anterior chamber angles were evaluated by Scheimpflug camera, and IOP was measured by Goldmann applanation tonometer. RESULTS: A total of 144 eyes from 126 patients were enrolled: 65 males and 79 females; mean age was 59.72 years. At 6 months after phacoemulsification, there was highly significant decrease in IOP (P = 0) and anterior chamber angle (P = 0). The change in IOP did not correlate statistically with patient age, preoperative IOP, preoperative ACA or ACA widening. CONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification reduced significantly IOP which was maintained for 6 months and widened significantly the anterior chamber angle. None of the studied parameters in our study has proved to be a reliable predictive factor to the amount of IOP drop after phacoemulsification.

The role of primary intraocular lens implantation in the risk of secondary glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the incidence of secondary glaucoma in patients under the age of 2 years who underwent congenital cataract surgery with or without primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. METHODS: An electronic literature search was performed in Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases to retrieve studies between January 2011 and November 2018. Patients with congenital cataract who did primary IOL implantation, aphakia, or secondary IOL implantation followed by receiving extraction surgery were included in this study. Relevant studies meeting defined eligibility criteria were selected and reviewed systematically by meta-analysis. Long-term incidences of secondary glaucoma, which developed at least one year after cataract surgery, were considered and discussed as clinical outcomes in each cohort. The pooled data were analyzed according to a random effects model. RESULTS: Eight publications involving 892 eyes were included in the current meta-analysis. In the general population of eyes with congenital cataract, the long-term incidence of secondary glaucoma was lower (P = 0.06) in eyes with primary IOL (9.5%) than in eyes without primary IOL (15.1%), including aphakia and secondary IOL. The pooled risk ratio (RR) favors primary IOL implantation in all patients (RR = 0.63). For bilateral congenital cataract, the incidence was 6.7% in eyes with primary IOL implantation, which is significantly lower than the 16.7% in eyes with aphakia and secondary IOL implantation (P<0.05, RR = 0.44). However, for unilateral congenital cataract surgery, the incidence was very similar in eyes with and without primary IOL (12.4% vs 12.0%, P = 0.61, RR = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: In patients under 2 years of age, primary IOL implantation for bilateral congenital cataract surgery is associated with a lower risk of secondary glaucoma.

Glaucoma following childhood cataract surgery: the South India experience.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics and risk factors for the development of glaucoma after cataract surgery in children seen at a major referral tertiary eye centre in South India. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the medical records of consecutive patients seen at the glaucoma/paediatric eye clinic of the centre, with a diagnosis of glaucoma secondary to aphakia/pseudophakia over a 5-year period. RESULTS: There were 21 eyes of 14 children that developed glaucoma and 23 eyes of 12 children were selected as control. The mean age (standard deviation SD) at the time of cataract surgery for the glaucoma group was 7.4 (± 10.1) months and 39.13 (± 41.2) months for the control. The mean follow-up (SD) period was 114.29 (± 61.9) months and 97.61 (± 43.5) months for the glaucoma and control, respectively. The mean duration from cataract surgery to onset of glaucoma was 81.19 (± 52.4) months (median 66 months, range 21-172 months). Multivariate analysis detected age at surgery younger than 12 months (OR 10.45, 95%CI 1.76-62.03, p = 0.010) and ocular anomalies mainly microcornea (OR 7.11, 95%CI 1.14-44.46, p = 0.036) as risk factors for development of glaucoma after paediatric cataract surgery. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma can develop several years after childhood cataract surgery. Surgery in the first year of life and microcornea are risk factors for the development of glaucoma post-surgery. Signs of glaucoma should specifically be looked for during follow-up visits.

The impact of pseudophakia on vision-related quality of life in the general population - The Gutenberg Health Study.

Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgical procedure worldwide. We aim to determine the prevalence of having implanted an artificial lens (pseudophakia) and of no lens (aphakia) and to compare visual function.As part of the Gutenberg Health study, a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Germany. An ophthalmological examination including slit-lamp examination was conducted. Prevalence including 95% confidential intervals were calculated and analyses were conducted for systemic and ocular associated factors with pseudophakia using multivariable logistic regression models. Vision-related quality of life was assessed using a standardized questionnaire and Rasch transformation.14,696 people were included. Of these, 1.55% [1.36%-1.77%] had unilateral pseudophakia and 3.08% [2.81%-3.37%] had bilateral pseudophakia. Unilateral aphakia was present in 21 people and bilateral aphakia in 2 people. Pseudophakia was independently associated with age, higher body weight and lower body height, diabetes and smoking. Vision-related quality of life values were similar for those with bilateral phakia and pseudophakia but were lower for those with unilateral pseudophakia.The pseudophakia status is related to several cardiovascular risk factors, indicating a relationship to an aging effect that causes premature lens opacification. Bilateral pseudophakia can almost imitate the physiological condition of phakia except for the need to use glasses.

Cataract Surgery in Children from Birth to Less than 13 Years of Age: Baseline Characteristics of the Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To describe baseline characteristics, initial postoperative refractive errors, operative complications, and magnitude of the intraocular lens (IOL) prediction error for refractive outcome in children undergoing lensectomy largely in North America. DESIGN: Prospective registry study of children from birth to <13 years of age who underwent lensectomy for any reason within 45 days preceding enrollment. PARTICIPANTS: Total of 1266 eyes of 994 children; 49% female and 59% white. METHODS: Measurement of refractive error, axial length, and complete ophthalmic examination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Eye and systemic associated conditions, IOL style, refractive error, pseudophakic refraction prediction error, operative and perioperative complications. RESULTS: Mean age at first eligible lens surgery was 4.2 years; 337 (34%) were <1 year of age. Unilateral surgery was performed in 584 children (59%). Additional ocular abnormalities were noted in 301 eyes (24%). An IOL was placed in 35 of 460 eyes (8%) when surgery was performed before 1 year of age, in 70 of 90 eyes (78%) from 1 to <2 years of age, and in 645 of 716 eyes (90%) from 2 to <13 years of age. The odds of IOL implantation were greater in children ≥2 years of age than in those <2 years of age (odds ratio = 29.1; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval: 19.6-43.3). Intraoperative complications were reported for 69 eyes (5%), with the most common being unplanned posterior capsule rupture in 14 eyes, 10 of which had an IOL placed. Prediction error of the implanted IOL was <1.00 diopter in 54% of eyes, but >2.00 diopters in 15% of eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Lensectomy surgery was performed throughout childhood, with about two-thirds of cases performed after 1 year of age. Initial surgery seemed safe, with a low complication rate. IOL placement was nearly universal in children 2 years of age and older. The immediate postoperative refraction was within 1 diopter of the target for about one-half of eyes.

10-Year Overview of the Hospital-Based Prevalence and Treatment of Congenital Cataracts: The CCPMOH Experience.

A review of 6 years of hospitalization charts from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC) revealed that congenital cataracts (CC) accounted for 2.39% of all cataract in-patient cases and that the age at surgery was decreasing before the establishment of the Childhood Cataract Program of the Chinese Ministry of Health (CCPMOH) in December 2010. We aimed to investigate data from the 4 years (January 2011 to December 2014) following the establishment of the CCPMOH, compared, and combined with data from the previous study period (January 2005 to December 2010) to generate a 10-year overview of the hospital-based prevalence and treatment of CC. In the 4-year period after CCPMOH establishment, the prevalence of CC was 2.01% in all hospitalizations, and was 2.78% in all cataract in-patients. Most of the eligible CC in-patients (71%) lived in south China. The ratio of boys to girls was 1.42:1. Nearly 2/3 of the patients underwent cataract extraction with primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at a mean age of 78.40±51.45 months, and cataract extraction surgeries without IOL implantation were performed in the remaining 1/3 of patients at a mean age of 10.03±15.92 months. After CCPMOH establishment, an increased incidence of CC was revealed, and the CC in-patients were younger than the patients in the previous period. The 10-year overview (2421 CC in-patients from 206630 hospitalizations) revealed upward trends in both the number and the prevalence of CC and a further reduction in age at surgery. In conclusion, the data from 4-year period after CCPMOH establishment and the 10-year overview showed upward trends in the hospital-based prevalence of CC cases and a further reduction in age at surgery, likely reflecting the effects of the CCPMOH establishment and providing useful information for further CC studies and a valuable foundation for the prevention and treatment of this cause of childhood blindness.

Central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in children undergoing congenital cataract surgery: a prospective, longitudinal study.

AIM: To investigate changes in central corneal thickness (CCT) and intraocular pressure (IOP) in children after congenital cataract surgery, as well as risk factors associated with these changes. METHODS: 37 eyes of 26 children with congenital cataract undergoing surgery were prospectively recruited. IOP and CCT measurements were performed before the surgery and 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months after the procedure. RESULTS: Among the 37 eyes, 15 became aphakic and 22 pseudophakic. Mean CCT significantly increased from 556.24 ± 44.19 to 585.07 ± 56.45 µm (p=0.003) after 3 years, whereas mean IOP significantly increased from 12.05 ± 2.3 to 13.89 ± 2.96 mm Hg (p=0.037). Aphakic eyes underwent surgery at an early age (15.16 ± 32.02 months) compared with pseudophakic eyes (71.48 ± 53.14 months) (p<0.001). After 3 years, mean CCT change in aphakic eyes (56.10 ± 46.97 µm) was significantly higher than in pseudophakic eyes (12.71 ± 38.41 µm) (p=0.015). Age at the time of surgery was inversely correlated to CCT change (r=-0.34, p=0.04), but not to IOP change (r=-0.18, p=0.27). When surgery was performed between 0 and 1 year of age, mean CCT change at 3 years was 70.11 ± 42.3 µm, compared with 6.27 ± 28.09, -17.0 ± 8.04 and 48.33 ± 34.99 µm when surgeries were performed at 1-5, 5-10 and >10 years old, respectively (p<0.001). IOP change was not correlated to CCT change (r=0.31, p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: CCT increases in eyes undergoing congenital cataract surgery, especially when the surgery is performed at an early age.

Blindness and visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error in sub-Saharan Africa: review of recent population-based studies.

AIM: The authors aimed to review published data on uncorrected refractive error (URE) as a cause of blindness and visual impairment in adults aged ≥40 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: Data were extracted from population-based prevalence surveys measuring presenting visual acuity (PVA). Results from 11 surveys performed in 10 countries in SSA, encompassing 39,458 people aged ≥40 years and older, are presented. RESULTS: The prevalence of blindness (PVA<3/60 in better eye) ranged from 1.1% in an urban district of Cameroon to 7.9% in a rural district in Ethiopia. More than half of studies (6/11) reported no blindness due to URE. The proportion of moderate visual impairment (PVA ≤6/60 and >6/18) due to URE ranged from 12.3% to 57.1%. Excluding two studies that included uncorrected aphakia as part of URE, the highest proportion of blindness and severe visual impairment due to uncorrected aphakia was found in Gambia (15.2%) and Nigeria (15.8%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Although URE is a leading cause of visual impairment, it does not represent a major cause of blindness in SSA.

[Aphakic and pseudophakic glaucoma following pediatric cataract surgery]. / Aphakie- und Pseudophakieglaukom nach Kataraktoperation im Kindesalter.

Modern surgical techniques allow congenital cataract surgery to be performed much more successfully. The development of a secondary glaucoma is the most dreaded postoperative complication (one third of all pediatric secondary glaucomas). Due to the limited value of the available literature, data on prevalence are unreliable. A 10-year postoperative incidence of 10-25% is given in the literature for developing secondary glaucoma and the frequency increases with the duration of follow-up. A major risk factor seems to be the age at the time of surgery. The younger the patient is at the time of surgery the higher the risk of secondary glaucoma. A microcornea seems to be another risk factor in multivariate analysis. The following postoperative changes might be involved in the pathogenesis: peripheral anterior synechia, high iris insertion and membranous material over the trabecular meshwork. Additionally postoperative inflammation, reaction to lens epithelial cells, perioperative barotrauma and loss of anterior segment architecture might also be responsible. In order to evaluate the optimal age window for congenital cataract surgery and risk factors for the development of secondary glaucoma, a prospective longitudinal study is mandatory.

Pseudophakic/aphakic corneal edema--morphometric predisposing factors analysis based on the fellow eye examination.

PURPOSE: To find morphometric factors predisposing to the development of corneal decompensation following cataract surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Study group consisted of 50 patients after keratoplasty performed as pseudophakic/aphakic corneal edema (PCE/ACE) treatment. Control group formed 50 patients after cataract removal without signs of corneal decompensation. Specific subgroups were analyzed too. The morphometric data of the fellow eye anterior chamber were obtained with Visante OCTTM. RESULTS: Anterior chamber depth and anterior chamber angle width were significantly smaller in study group (p < 0.00001, U-test). With excluded preoperative risk factors: Fuchs dystrophy, acute angle closure glaucoma attack history the significant differences were also observed (p < 0.01). In Fuchs' dystrophy and intraoperative complication subgroups comparison these two anterior chamber parameters were smaller too (p < 0.001). Anterior chamber width was also smaller in study group with p = 0.001. Central corneal thickness was higher in study group with p = 0.013. After exclusion of patients with Fuchs' dystrophy there was no difference in comparison (p = 0.34). The difference in total axial length comparison was insignificant (p = 0.18). Relative anterior microphthalmos was diagnosed in 31 patients of study group (62%) and in 17 of control (34%). CONCLUSIONS: Small anterior chamber dimensions and higher central corneal thickness due to Fuchs' dystrophy are factors influencing the risk of PCE/ACE development.

Prevalence of cataract surgery and postoperative visual outcome in rural central India Central India Eye and Medical Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of cataract surgery and the postoperative visual outcomes in rural central India. SETTING: Villages in rural central India. DESIGN: Cohort study. METHODS: The population-based Central India Eye and Medical Study examined the prevalence of surgical pseudophakia/aphakia, the postoperative visual acuity, and the reasons for decreased postoperative vision in subjects aged 30+ in rural central India. Visual impairment was defined as (1) presenting visual acuity worse than 6/18 or (2) corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) worse than 6/18. RESULTS: Of the 9392 eyes (99.7%) of 4711 subjects with available data on the lens status, 318 eyes (3.4%) (234 patients, 129 women) had had cataract surgery (5.0% ± 0.3%). Cataract surgery was significantly associated with age (P<.001), female sex (P = .008), shorter axial length (P<.001), and diabetes mellitus (P<.001). The prevalence of postoperative presenting visual impairment was 63% (201/318 eyes) and of postoperative CDVA impairment, 36% (117/318 eyes). The major cause of the former was incorrect intraocular lens (IOL) power (42%); the major causes of the latter were posterior capsule opacification (24%), surgical complications (21%), age-related macular degeneration (10.3%), other macular disorders (4.3%), corneal opacities (3.4%), and glaucoma (2.0%). Surgical complications were significantly more common in the aphakic group than in the pseudophakic group (46.4% versus 2.0%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 5% of the central India population aged 30 years or older had had cataract surgery. Postoperative visual impairment was present in 2 of 3 eyes. The major reasons were incorrect IOL power and surgical complications. Improved IOL power calculations and improved surgical techniques may markedly improve postoperative outcome. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Prediction error and myopic shift after intraocular lens implantation in paediatric cataract patients.

AIM: To determine the amount of myopic shift in children after cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and to evaluate success in achieving the target refraction. METHODS: The children were assigned into three groups depending on age at time of surgery: Group A, 0-1 years old; Group B, 1-7 years old; Group C, 7-18 years old. Multiple regression analysis was used to create a formula for expected myopic shift and to find out which variables were associated with a higher absolute prediction error. RESULTS: Children less than 12 months of age experienced higher myopic shifts and a larger mean rate of refractive change per year compared with older children. We found higher myopic shifts in younger children at time of surgery and children with unilateral cataract. Absolute prediction error was significantly higher in Group A compared with Groups B and C (p=0.022 and p=0.037, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that corneal radius was the only variable significantly associated with absolute prediction error. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate the complexity in predicting the postoperative refraction in children under 1 year old and show that age at surgery and laterality are factors to consider when deciding which IOL power to implant in children.

Outcome of cataract surgery in Nigeria: visual acuity, autorefraction, and optimal intraocular lens powers--results from the Nigeria national survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe presenting and corrected visual acuities after cataract surgery in a nationally representative sample of adults. Another objective was to describe refractive errors in operated eyes and to determine the optimal range of intraocular lens (IOL) powers for this population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based survey. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 40 years and more were selected using multistage stratified sampling and proportional to size procedures. A sample size of 15027 was calculated, and clusters were selected from all states. METHODS: Individuals who had undergone cataract surgery were identified from interview and examination. All had their presenting visual acuity (VA) measured using a reduced logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution chart and underwent autorefraction. Corrected VAs were assessed using the autorefraction results in a trial set. An ophthalmologist conducted all examinations, including slit-lamp and dilated fundus examination. Causes of visual loss were determined for all eyes with a presenting VA <6/12 using the World Health Organization recommendations. Biometry data were derived from 20449 phakic eyes using the SRK-T formula after excluding those with poor VA or corneal opacities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presenting and corrected visual acuities in pseudo/aphakic individuals and autorefraction findings; biometry profile of Nigerian adults. RESULTS: Data from 288 eyes of 217 participants were analyzed. Only 39.5% of eyes had undergone IOL implantation at surgery. Only 29.9% of eyes had a good outcome (i.e., ≥6/18) at presentation, increasing to 55.9% with correction. Use of an IOL was the only factor associated with a good outcome at presentation (odds ratio 9.0; 95% confidence interval, 4.3-18.9; P=0.001). Eyes undergoing cataract surgery had a higher prevalence and degree of astigmatism than phakic eyes. Biometry data reveal that posterior chamber IOL powers of 20, 21, and 22 diopters (D) (A constant 118.0) will give a postoperative refraction range of -2.0 D to emmetropia in 71.4% of eyes, which increases to 82.6% if 19 D is also included. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative astigmatism needs to be reduced through better surgical techniques and training, and use of biometry should be standard of care.