Anisometropia at Age 5 Years After Unilateral Intraocular Lens Implantation During Infancy in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study

Factors associated with progressive anisometropia after bilateral intraocular lens implantation in patients with pediatric cataract

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with progressive anisometropia after bilateral intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with pediatric cataract.

METHODS

Clinical and standardized questionnaire data were collected for Sixty-eight patients with pediatric cataract (136 eyes) who underwent bilateral IOL implantation and at least 1 year of follow-up. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to identify factors associated with postoperative anisometropia.

RESULTS

The median age at IOL implantation was 3.2 years (range: 1-12.4 years), and median follow-up time was 5.7 years (range: 1.1-14 years). At 1 month postoperatively and at the last follow-up, there were 19 (27%) and 31 (46%) cases of anisometropia ≥1 D, 9 (13%) and 15 (22%) cases of anisometropia ≥2 D, and 2 (3%) and 9 (13%) cases of anisometropia ≥3 D, respectively. Compared with 1 month postoperatively, the amount of anisometropia increased in 45 (67%) patients. Greater anisometropia one year or more after bilateral IOL implantation was associated with larger intereye difference in IOL power (P = 0.032, 95%CI 0.013 to 0.285), intereye difference in preoperative axial length (P = 0.018, 95%CI -1.247 to -0.123), presence of strabismus (P = 0.017, 95%CI 0.063-0.601), anisometropia at 1 month postoperatively (P = 0.001, 95%CI 0.126-0.478), and intereye difference in axial length at the last follow-up (P = 0.047, 95%CI 0.005-0.627).

CONCLUSION

Anisometropia might progress after bilateral IOL implantation in patients with pediatric cataract. Greater intereye difference in IOL power, presence of strabismus might increase the potential of progressive anisometropia.

Outcome of intraocular lens exchange for the management of myopic shift in pseudophakic children

PURPOSE

To evaluate the visual outcome of intraocular lens (IOL) exchange for the management of myopic shift in pseudophakic children.

METHODS

The medical records of children who underwent IOL exchange for myopic shift were examined. The preoperative data, operative details and the postoperative outcome were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twenty-one eyes (16 patients) were identified. Mean age at cataract extraction was 20 ± 26 months (range, 2-84 months). Twelve patients (6 unilateral, 6 bilateral) had primary IOL implantation. Mean age at IOL exchange was 7.3 ± 3.2 years. Mean spherical equivalent (SE) at IOL exchange was -14 ± 5 D (range, -7 to -21 D): Mean SE at IOL exchange was -13.64 ± 4.99 D, -12 ± 1.53 D, and -15.5 ± 4.7 D in unilaterally pseudophakic cases (8 patients), in the eye that underwent unilateral IOL exchange (3 patients) in bilaterally pseudophakic cases, and in bilateral IOL exchange cases (5 patients), respectively. Mean axial length at IOL exchange was 24 ± 1.3 mm (range, 23 to 27 mm). Following IOL exchange, mean SE was reduced to -2 ± 1.8 D (range, -4 to +2.5 D). An average of three logMAR line improvement in the best-corrected visual acuity was observed in 12/16 eyes of patients for whom pre- and post-exchange visual acuity were available, while visual acuity remained unchanged in 4 eyes. Mean logMAR visual acuity improvement was 0.35 and 0.49 in unilateral and bilateral pseudophakic cases, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

IOL exchange is a safe procedure that should be considered to improve visual rehabilitation in pseudophakic patients with myopic shift.

What we have learned from the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study: The 49th Annual Frank D. Costenbader Lecture

Unilateral congenital cataracts lead to deprivation amblyopia, which can be severe. Until the 1970s, they were believed to be always associated with poor visual outcomes. However, advances in our understanding of the plasticity of the infant brain and the development of better surgical techniques allowed good visual outcomes to be obtained in a few of these patients. The Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) was conducted to provide empirical evidence regarding the best type of optical correction to be used following surgical extraction of the cataract. Specifically, infants were randomly assigned to either be left aphakic and to wear contact lenses or an intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted and the residual refractive error was corrected with spectacles. The study found that good visual acuity and stereopsis could be achieved in some patients in both treatment groups. Early cataract surgery, consistent optical correction and part-time patching of the fellow eye are important elements needed to achieve good visual outcomes. However, excess patching of the fellow eye may interfere with the development of stereopsis. More adverse events occurred after IOL implantation, particularly visual axis opacification, compared with the infants who were left aphakic. Glaucoma-related adverse events occurred in 40% of eyes after a 10-year follow-up and were not associated with IOL implantation. Further research is needed to increase the percentage of children with unilateral congenital cataracts who achieve good visual outcomes.

Myopic Shift at 10-Year Follow-up in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study

We studied the myopic shift and anisometropia at 10.6 (+/−0.3) years of age in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study. We found myopic shift continues in the operated eye from 5-10.5 years at a lower rate than that prior to age five years while anisometropia increases proportionally.

Ocular biometric changes following unilateral cataract surgery in children

Purpose

To analyze ocular biometric changes following unilateral cataract surgery in children.

Methods

A total of 57 children aged under 13 years who underwent unilateral cataract surgery were analyzed. Groups were classified according to their age at surgery: group I (age <3), II (3≤ age <6), III (6≤ age <9), and IV (age ≥9). The myopic shift, axial growth, and corneal curvature changes were compared between the pseudophakic eyes and the fellow phakic eyes.

Results

During 7.81 ± 4.39 years, the overall myopic shift (D) and the rate of myopic shift (D/year) were significantly higher at -3.25 ± 3.21 D and -0.45 ± 0.44 D/year in the pseudophakic eyes than -1.78 ± 2.10 D and -0.22 ± 0.29 D/year in the fellow phakic eyes (P = 0.01, 0.004). Group I (-1.14 ± 0.66 vs -0.02 ± 0.45 D/year) and group II (-0.63 ± 0.37 vs -0.31 ± 0.29 D/year) showed significantly higher rate of myopic shift in the pseudophakic eyes than in the phakic eyes. The rate of myopic shift in the pseudophakic eyes decreased in the older age groups (P = 0.001). There was no significant between-eye difference in the changes in axial length and keratometric values postoperatively.

Conclusion

Following unilateral cataract surgery, a significant postoperative myopic shift was noticed in the pseudophakic eyes compared to the fellow phakic eyes in groups under 6 years old. Postoperative myopic shift and the resultant anisometropia should be considered when selecting the optimal power of IOL in young children requiring unilateral cataract surgery.

Accuracy of 8 intraocular lens power calculation formulas in pediatric cataract patients

PURPOSE

To compare the accuracy of the eight formulas for intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation in pediatric cataract patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study. A total of 68 eyes (68 patients) that underwent uneventful cataract surgery and posterior chamber IOL implantation in the capsular bag were enrolled. We compared the calculation accuracy of the 8 formulas at 1 month postoperatively and performed subgroup analysis according to age or axial length (AL).

RESULTS

The mean age at surgery was 34.07 ± 24.60 months and mean AL was 21.12 ± 1.42 mm. The mean prediction errors (PE) of eight formulas for all patients were as follows: SRK II (- 0.66), SRK/T (- 0.44), Holladay 1 (- 0.36), Hoffer Q (- 0.09), Olsen (0.71), Barrett (0.37), Holladay 2 (- 0.70), and Haigis (0.50). There was significant difference among the 8 formulas (p < 0.0001), while no significant difference of absolute PE was found among the 8 formulas in all patients (p = 0.053). Moreover, in patients younger than 2 years old or with AL ≤ 21 mm, SRK/T formula was relatively accurate in 34% and 39% of eyes, respectively. While in patients older than 2 or with AL > 21 mm, Barrett and Haigis formulas were better (58% and 47% for Barrett, 52% and 53% for Haigis).

CONCLUSION

Overall, in patients younger than 2 years old or with AL ≤ 21 mm, SRK/T formulas were relatively accurate, while Barrett and Haigis formulas were better in patients older than 2 or with AL > 21 mm.

The impact of an interactive, multifaceted education approach for congenital cataract on parental anxiety, knowledge and satisfaction: A randomized, controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our research was to examine the impact of a patient education program for parents of children with congenital cataract on parental stress, comprehension of disease information and parental satisfaction.

METHODS

This prospective study included 177 parents of children with congenital cataract. The children were randomized into the following groups: the health education program with a multifaceted, interactive approach and conventional follow-up. Self-administered questionnaires were used for parental evaluation before and after the education program. The anxiety level, parental satisfaction and comprehension of the information were evaluated at each time point.

RESULTS

A multifaceted, interactive approach to education significantly reduced parental levels of anxiety compared with the conventional group (effect sizes: Parenting Stress Index, ƞ2 = 0.285; Ocular Treatment Index, ƞ2 = 0.346). This approach also improved comprehension-memorization scores (effect sizes: ƞ2 = 0.303) and parental satisfaction (p < 0.001). The impact of this new intervention was maintained for 6 and 12 months after the course.

CONCLUSION

The interactive, multifaceted education approach could efficiently improve the comprehension of disease-related information and parental satisfaction, resulting in significantly decreased parental anxiety.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

This new patient education approach had a significant impact on congenital cataracts and may be generalized to other pediatric diseases.

Dynamic profile of ocular refraction in pediatric cataract patients after lens surgeries

AIM

To study the change in ocular refraction in patients with pediatric cataracts (PCs) after lens extraction.

METHODS

A total of 1258 patients who were undergoing cataract extraction with/without intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were recruited during preoperative examinations between Jan 2010 and Oct 2013. Patient ages ranged from 1.5mo to 14y. Follow-ups were conducted at 1wk, 1, and 3mo postoperatively and every 3mo in the first year, then 6mo thereafter. Ocular refraction [evaluated as spherical equivalent (SE)] and yearly myopic shift (YMS) were recorded and statistically analyzed among patients with age at surgery, baseline ocular refraction, gender, postoperative time and laterality (bilateral vs unilateral).

RESULTS

By Dec 31^st 2015, 1172 participants had been followed for more than 2y. The median follow-up period was 3y. The critical factors affecting the ocular refraction of PC patients were baseline ocular refraction, postoperative time for both aphakic and pseudophakic eyes. YMS grew most rapidly in young childhood and early adolescence.

CONCLUSION

After lens surgeries, ocular refraction in PC patients shows an individual difference of change. Further concerns should be raising to monitor the rapid myopic shift at early adolescence of these patients.