Outcomes of Unilateral Cataracts in Infants and Toddlers 7 to 24 Months of Age

Timing of Diagnosis and Treatment of Glaucoma following Infantile Cataract Surgery

PURPOSE

To report timing of diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) in a large cohort of infants undergoing cataract surgery at a tertiary care center.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

All consecutive infants that underwent cataract surgery over a 30-year period from January 1991 to December 2021 were included if they had at least 1 year follow-up.

METHODS

The data collection included age at time of cataract surgery, presence of associated ocular or systemic conditions, age at diagnosis of GFCS, and treatment required to control GFCS. Glaucoma diagnosis required intraocular pressure (IOP) > 21 mmHg on > 2 visits with glaucomatous optic nerve head changes and/or visual field changes, or in young children, other anatomic changes such as corneal enlargement or haze or accelerated axial elongation and myopic shift.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The incidence of GFCS was calculated. Linear regression was performed to assess the effect of age at time of cataract surgery. Analysis of risk factors and treatment modalities was performed using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Three hundred eighty-three eyes (260 patients) were analyzed. Median age at surgery was 52 days and median follow-up, 8 years. Glaucoma following cataract surgery was noted in 27% (104/383 eyes; median age at surgery, 45 days; median follow-up, 13 years.) Young age at surgery (< 3 months) was the greatest risk factor (P = 0.001) but the incidence was similar for infants operated in the first, second, or third month of life (25%, 36%, 40%, respectively, P = 0.4). Microcornea (41%, P < 0.0001), poorly dilating pupils (25%, P = 0.001), persistent fetal vasculature (PFV, 13%; P = 0.8), or anterior segment dysgenesis (3%, P = 0.02) were considered as additional risk factors. Surgical intervention was needed for 73% (24/33) eyes with early-onset GFCS compared with 14% (10/71) eyes with later-later onset GFCS (P < 0.0001). Medical treatment was effective in 86% with later-onset GFCS (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of GFCS was 27%, and timing of diagnosis occurred in a bimodal fashion. Early-onset GFCS usually requires surgical intervention; medical treatment is effective for later-onset GFCS. Cataract surgery within the first 3 months of life, microcornea, and poorly dilating pupils were major risk factors.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Risk Factors for Glaucoma Diagnosis and Surgical Intervention following Pediatric Cataract Surgery in the IRIS® Registry

PURPOSE

To compare demographic and clinical factors associated with glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) and glaucoma surgery rates between infants, toddlers, and older children using a large, ophthalmic registry.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients in the IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) who underwent cataract surgery at ≤ 17 years old and between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2020.

METHODS

Glaucoma diagnosis and procedural codes were extracted from the electronic health records of practices participating in the IRIS Registry. Children with glaucoma diagnosis or surgery before cataract removal were excluded. The Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to determine the cumulative probability of GFCS diagnosis and glaucoma surgery after cataract surgery. Multivariable Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with GFCS and glaucoma surgery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Cumulative probability of glaucoma diagnosis and surgical intervention within 5 years after cataract surgery.

RESULTS

The study included 6658 children (median age, 10.0 years; 46.2% female). The 5-year cumulative probability of GFCS was 7.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.1%-8.1%) and glaucoma surgery was 2.6% (95% CI, 1.9%-3.2%). The 5-year cumulative probability of GFCS for children aged < 1 year was 22.3% (95% CI, 15.7%-28.4%). Risk factors for GFCS included aphakia (hazard ratio [HR], 2.63; 95% CI, 1.96-3.57), unilateral cataract (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.12-1.96), and Black race (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.12-2.32). The most common surgery was glaucoma drainage device insertion (32.6%), followed by angle surgery (23.3%), cyclophotocoagulation (15.1%), and trabeculectomy (5.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Glaucoma following cataract surgery diagnosis in children in the IRIS Registry was associated with young age, aphakia, unilateral cataract, and Black race. Glaucoma drainage device surgery was the preferred surgical treatment, consistent with the World Glaucoma Association 2013 consensus recommendations for GFCS management.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Incidence of and risk factors for suspected and definitive glaucoma after bilateral congenital cataract surgery: a 5-year follow-up

AIMS

To report the incidence and associated risk factors for developing suspected and definitive glaucoma after bilateral congenital cataract (CC) removal with a 5-year follow-up.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Bilateral CC patients who had undergone cataract surgery between January 2011 and December 2014 at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre were recruited. Suspected glaucoma was defined as persistent ocular hypertension requiring medical treatment. Definitive glaucoma was defined as accompanied by the progression of glaucomatous clinical features. According to postoperative lens status in 5 years follow-up: 130 eyes in the aphakia group; 219 in the primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation group and 337 in the secondary IOL implantation group. The Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used to explore the cumulative incidence and risk factors for suspected and definitive glaucoma.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty-one children (686 eyes) with bilateral CCs were enrolled in the study. The mean age at surgery was 1.82±2.08 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 6.26±0.97 years. Suspected and definitive glaucoma developed at a mean time of 2.84±1.75 years (range 0.02-7.33 years) postoperatively. The cumulative incidence of suspected and definitive glaucoma was 9.97% (35 of 351 patients), including 6.12% (42 eyes) for definitive glaucoma and 2.48% (17 eyes) for suspected glaucoma. Microcornea (HR 4.103, p<0.0001), CC family history (HR 3.285, p=0.001) and initial anterior vitrectomy (HR 2.365 p=0.036) were risk factors for suspected and definitive glaucoma. Gender, age at surgery, intraocular surgery frequency, length of follow-up and frequency of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminumaluminium garnet laser were non-statistically significant. Primary IOL implantation was a protective factor (HR 0.378, p=0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Identifying suspected and definitive glaucoma after bilateral CC surgery can lower the risk of secondary blindness in children. Patients with related risk factors need to pay more attention and thus reach early intervention and treatment during clinical practice. Primary IOL implantation may be a potential protective factor, need more clinical trials to be verified.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04342052.

Complications Occurring Through 5 Years Following Primary Intraocular Lens Implantation for Pediatric Cataract

Importance

Lensectomy with primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation is often used in the management of nontraumatic pediatric cataract, but long-term data evaluating the association of age and IOL location with the incidence of complications are limited.

Objective

To describe the incidence of complications and additional eye surgeries through 5 years following pediatric lensectomy with primary IOL implantation and association with age at surgery and IOL location.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective cohort study used Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group cataract registry data from 61 institution- and community-based practices over 3 years (June 2012 to July 2015). Participants were children younger than 13 years without baseline glaucoma who had primary IOL implantation (345 bilateral and 264 unilateral) for nontraumatic cataract. Data analysis was performed between September 2021 and January 2023.

Exposures

Lensectomy with primary IOL implantation.

Main Outcome and Measures

Five-year cumulative incidence of complications by age at surgery (<2 years, 2 to <4 years, 4 to <7 years, and 7 to <13 years) and by IOL location (sulcus vs capsular bag) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

The cohort included 609 eyes from 491 children (mean [SD] age, 5.6 [3.3] years; 261 [53%] male and 230 [47%] female). Following cataract extraction with primary IOL implantation, a frequent complication was surgery for visual axis opacification (VAO) (cumulative incidence, 32%; 95% CI, 27%-36%). Cumulative incidence was lower with anterior vitrectomy at the time of IOL placement (12%; 95% CI, 8%-16%) vs without (58%; 95% CI, 50%-65%), and the risk of undergoing surgery for VAO was associated with not performing anterior vitrectomy (hazard ratio [HR], 6.19; 95% CI, 3.70-10.34; P < .001). After adjusting for anterior vitrectomy at lens surgery, there were no differences in incidence of surgery for VAO by age at surgery (<2 years, HR, 1.35 [95% CI, 0.63-2.87], 2 to <4 years, HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.44-1.68], 4 to <7 years, HR, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.72-1.56]; P = .74) or by capsular bag vs sulcus IOL fixation (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.36-4.17; P = .75). Cumulative incidence of glaucoma plus glaucoma suspect by 5 years was 7% (95% CI, 4%-9%), which did not differ by age after controlling for IOL location and laterality.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, a frequent complication following pediatric lensectomy with primary IOL was surgery for VAO, which was associated with primary anterior vitrectomy not being performed but was not associated with age at surgery or IOL location. The risk of glaucoma development across all ages at surgery suggests a need for long-term monitoring.

Evolution and trends of childhood cataract research in the past 10 years: A scientometric analysis

Purpose

To present a panoramic review of childhood cataract knowledge networks, hotspots and trends.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection was used to retrieve the global literature on childhood cataract published between 2012 and 2021. Scientometric data were analyzed and visualized using VOSviewer and CiteSpace for metrics including publication count, citation count, country, journal, author, cited reference, subject category and their temporal trends.

Results

A total of 3395 analyzed publications showed an inconsistent annual increasing trend. The USA (n = 939) was the leading contributor among countries. The Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (n = 113) had the highest number of publications among journals. Eight clusters of author collaboration network including 183 authors were identified. Gene mutation, cataract surgery management, intraocular lens implantation complications, prevalence, and glaucoma were identified as the research hotspots. Pediatric cataract surgery, new mutations, artificial intelligence, and cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis were identified as frontier research topics. "Biochemistry and molecular biology", "neurosciences", and "radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging" had the highest betweenness centrality values (0.38, 0.32, and 0.22). Multidisciplinary (burst years: 2020 to 2021; strength = 4.32) had the greatest strength as of 2021.

Conclusions

Childhood cataract research intensely focuses on revealing the genetic background and pheno-spectrum of the diseases, innovating and/or optimizing surgical techniques, and preventing and treating postoperative complications. Artificial intelligence has shed light on the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cataracts. The advance in the research on molecular mechanisms of childhood cataracts depends on multidisciplinary cooperation.

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.

Risk Ractors for Strabismus Surgery after Pediatric Cataract Surgery in the United States

Purpose

To determine the cumulative incidence of strabismus surgery after pediatric cataract surgery and identify the associated risk factors.

Design

US population-based insurance claims retrospective cohort study.

Participants

Patients ≤ 18 years old who underwent cataract surgery in 2 large databases: Optum Clinformatics Data Mart (2003-2021) and IBM MarketScan (2007-2016).

Methods

Individuals with at least 6 months of prior enrollment were included, and those with a history of strabismus surgery were excluded. The primary outcome was strabismus surgery within 5 years of cataract surgery. The risk factors investigated included age, sex, persistent fetal vasculature (PFV), intraocular lens (IOL) placement, nystagmus and strabismus diagnoses before cataract surgery, and cataract surgery laterality.

Main Outcome Measures

Kaplan-Meier estimated cumulative incidence of strabismus surgery 5 years after cataract surgery and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

Strabismus surgery was performed on 271/5822 children included in this study. The cumulative incidence of strabismus surgery within 5 years after cataract surgery was 9.6% (95% CI, 8.3%-10.9%). Children who underwent strabismus surgery were more likely to be of younger age at the time of cataract surgery, of female sex, have a history of PFV or nystagmus, have a pre-existing strabismus diagnosis, and less likely to have an IOL placed (all P < 0.001). Factors associated with strabismus surgery in the multivariable analysis included age 1 to 4 years (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.36-0.69; P < 0.001) and age > 5 years (HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.09-0.18; P < 0.001) compared with age < 1 year at time of cataract surgery, male sex (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.59-0.95; P < 0.001), IOL placement (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.94; P = 0.016), and strabismus diagnosis before cataract surgery (HR, 4.13; 95% CI, 3.17-5.38; P < 0.001). Among patients with strabismus diagnosis before cataract surgery, younger age at cataract surgery was the only factor associated with increased risk of strabismus surgery.

Conclusions

Approximately 10% of patients will undergo strabismus surgery within 5 years after pediatric cataract surgery. Children of younger age, female sex, and with a pre-existing strabismus diagnosis undergoing cataract surgery without IOL placement are at greater risk.

Financial Disclosures

The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Stereopsis following surgery in children with congenital and developmental cataracts: A systematic review and meta-analysis

We estimated the proportion of children with stereopsis following surgery in congenital and developmental cataracts by systematic review and meta-analysis and also considered the factors influencing stereopsis, such as intervention age and presence of strabismus. Stereopsis is directly related to quality of life, and investigating its levels following cataract surgery in children may help decide the right time to intervene, particularly in the context of brain plasticity. We conducted a systematic literature search using Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science and found 25 case series, 3 cohorts, and 3 clinical trial studies from 1/1/1995 to 31/12/2020. Study-specific proportions of stereopsis from 923 children were pooled using a random-effects model, and stratified analyses were conducted based on intervention age and pre-existing strabismus as a confounder. We appraised the risk of bias using tools published by National Institutes of Health and evaluated publication bias with funnel plots and the Egger test. The pooled proportions of stereopsis based on 8 unilateral and 6 bilateral congenital cataract studies were 0.37 (95% CIs: [0.24, 0.53]) and 0.45 (95% CIs: [0.24,0.68]) when patients with preexisting strabismus were excluded as a confounder. When the intervention age was ≤6 months, proportions in unilateral congenital cataract group significantly increased to 0.52 (95% CIs: [0.37, 0.66]; P = 0.49) compared to 0.26 (95% CIs: [0.14, 0.44]; P = 0.16) otherwise. A similar increase in proportions was found when intervention age ≤4 months. In both unilateral and bilateral congenital cataract groups, proportions increased significantly when the confounder was excluded. Overall, proportions in bilateral congenital cataracts were significantly greater than unilateral cases (irrespective of confounder). Eight unilateral and 5 bilateral developmental cataract studies resulted in pooled proportions of 0.62 (95% CIs: [0.27, 0.88] and 0.82 (95% CIs: [0.4, 0.97]), respectively. Although proportions for bilateral developmental cataracts were greater than unilateral cataracts (irrespective of confounder), results were not statistically significant. Finally, proportions in unilateral developmental cataracts were significantly greater than unilateral congenital cataracts (Z = 7.413, P = 6.173694e-14). We conclude that surgical intervention within first 4-6 months can significantly affect postoperative outcomes in unilateral congenital cataracts. Analysis of existing data does not show a significant effect of intervention age on stereopsis outcomes for developmental cataracts.

Long-term strabismus outcomes after unilateral infantile cataract surgery in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study

PURPOSE

To characterize long-term strabismus outcomes in children in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS).

METHODS

This study was a secondary data analysis of long-term ocular alignment characteristics of children aged 10.5 years who had previously been enrolled in a randomized clinical trial evaluating aphakic management after unilateral cataract surgery between 1 and 6 months of age.

RESULTS

In the IATS study, 96 of 109 children (88%) developed strabismus through age 10.5 years. Half of the 20 children who were orthophoric at distance through age 5 years maintained orthophoria at distance fixation at 10.5 years. Esotropia was the most common type of strabismus prior to age 5 years (56/109 [51%]), whereas exotropia (49/109 [45%]) was the most common type of strabismus at 10.5 years (esotropia, 21%; isolated hypertropia, 17%). Strabismus surgery had been performed on 52 children (48%), with 18 of these (35%) achieving microtropia <10^Δ. Strabismus was equally prevalent in children randomized to contact lens care compared with those randomized to primary intraocular lens implantation (45/54 [83%] vs 45/55 [82%]; P = 0.8). Median visual acuity in the study eye was 0.56 logMAR (20/72) for children with orthotropia or microtropia <10^Δ versus 1.30 logMAR (20/400) for strabismus ≥10^Δ (P = 0.0003).

CONCLUSIONS

Strabismus-in particular, exotropia-is common irrespective of aphakia management 10 years following infant monocular cataract surgery. The delayed emergence of exotropia with longer follow-up indicates a need for caution in managing early esotropia in these children. Children with better visual acuity at 10 years of age are more likely to have better ocular alignment.

Outcomes of unilateral cataract surgery in children 2-7 years of age: a comparison to surgery in toddlers and infants

PURPOSE

To compare outcomes of unilateral cataract surgery in children aged 2-7 years with the outcomes reported in younger children.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent unilateral cataract surgery between the ages of 2-7 years were reviewed retrospectively. Traumatic cataracts and ectopia lentis were excluded. Outcomes were compared to those of the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) for infants up to 7 months of age and the Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Study (TAPS) for toddlers between 7-24 months of age who underwent unilateral cataract surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 68 children were included, with a mean follow-up of 4.3 years. The proportion of intraoperative complications (7%) was significantly lower than that reported in IATS but not significantly different from that of TAPS. In our older cohort, more children (41%) had visual acuity better than 20/40 compared to infants (23% [P < 0.05]) and toddlers (11% [P < 0.001]), with a final median visual acuity of 20/44. The proportion of adverse events in our older cohort was reduced (7%) compared to that of infants (81%) and toddlers (24%). Additional unplanned intraocular surgeries occurred less often (6%) than in the infant cohort (72%). No patients developed glaucoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Cataract surgery in slightly older children carries less risk of vision-threatening complications and adverse events compared to infants and results in better visual outcomes than in toddlers. Once the decision is made to pursue surgery on a visually significant cataract, the age of the child should determine which relevant risks are emphasized in the informed consent discussion.

Outcomes of bilateral cataract surgery in children 2-7 years of age: a comparison to surgery in toddlers and infants

PURPOSE

To evaluate the outcomes of bilateral cataract surgery in children 2-7 years of age in our institution and to compare them to the bilateral infant and toddler outcomes of the Toddler Aphakia Pseudophakia Study (TAPS) registry.

METHODS

The medical records of children who underwent bilateral cataract surgery between the ages of 2 and 7 years of age with a minimum of 2 years' postoperative follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with a history of trauma or subluxated lenses were excluded. Main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, strabismus requiring surgery, adverse events, and reoperations.

RESULTS

A total of 114 eyes of 57 children were included. Median age at surgery was 4.4 years. At the visit closest to 10 years of age, the median best-corrected visual acuity of the better-seeing eye was 0.05 logMAR (20/22); of the worse-seeing eye, 0.18 logMAR (20/30). Strabismus surgery was performed in 1 patient. Among first-operated eyes, adverse events occurred in 4 eyes (7%), which was significantly less than in the TAPS cohort of 1-7 months (P = 0.0001) and the TAPS cohort of 7 months to 2 years (P = 0.01). No eye developed glaucoma or was labeled glaucoma suspect. Unplanned intraocular reoperations were needed in 4 first-operated eyes (3 membranectomy/vitrectomy for removal of opacifications and 1 lysis of vitreous wick).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to infants and toddlers, bilateral cataract surgery performed between 2 and 7 years of age was associated with significantly fewer adverse events and excellent visual acuity.

In-the-Bag Versus Ciliary Sulcus Secondary Intraocular Lens Implantation for Pediatric Aphakia: A Prospective Comparative Study

PURPOSE

To compare outcomes of in-the-bag vs ciliary sulcus secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for pediatric aphakia.

DESIGN

Prospective interventional case series.

METHODS

This institutional study was conducted in 202 children (355 aphakic eyes) diagnosed as having congenital cataracts and who underwent cataract extraction before age 24 months. Pediatric aphakic eyes underwent in-the-bag or ciliary sulcus secondary IOL implantation according to the amount of residual lens capsule and were monitored for 3 years postoperatively. The main outcome measures were adverse events (AEs), IOL tilt and decentration, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the operative eye.

RESULTS

A total of 144 eyes (40.6%, 89 children) received in-the-bag IOL implantation (capsular group), and 211 eyes (59.4%, 132 children) underwent ciliary sulcus IOL implantation (sulcus group). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the time-dependent incidence of glaucoma-related AEs (GRAEs) (P = .005) and any AEs (P = .002) were higher in the sulcus group. In-the-bag IOL implantation was a strong protective factor against GRAE (hazard ratio, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01-0.53; P = .009) and any AEs (hazard ratio, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08-0.57; P = .002). Clinically significant IOL decentration (>0.4 mm) was more common in the sulcus group compared with the capsular group (vertical decentration: 29.8% vs 15.7%, P = .005; horizontal decentration: 30.3% vs 9.35%, P < .001). BCVA in the capsular group was better than that in the sulcus group (logMAR, 0.56 vs 0.67, P = .014).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with ciliary sulcus secondary IOL implantation, in-the-bag IOL implantation reduced AEs and yielded better IOL centration and BCVA for pediatric aphakia.

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.

Long-term outcomes of secondary intraocular lens implantation in children

PURPOSE

This study aims to report long-term outcomes of secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation after early cataract surgery in children.

METHODS

This is a retrospective case series that included children undergoing secondary IOL implantation. The patients had either in-the-bag (ITB) or sulcus implantation; alternative methods of IOL fixation were excluded. Single-piece acrylic IOL was used for ITB and 3-piece acrylic or PMMA IOL for sulcus implantation. The visual acuity outcomes and rate of complications at the last follow-up visit were evaluated.

RESULTS

One hundred six eyes (70 patients) were analyzed. The mean follow-up was 5.5 ± 3.8 years. Sixty-two eyes (58.5%) had ITB; 44 eyes (41.5%) had sulcus IOL. All but 3 eyes (97.2%) showed stable or improvement in visual acuity. Early inflammation > grade 2 + was noted with sulcus IOL (84% vs 34%, p = 0.01); late inflammation requiring vitrectomy occurred in one eye with sulcus IOL. Mild decentration was seen in 2 eyes with sulcus IOL; one additional subluxed sulcus IOL was exchanged. Sixteen out of 106 eyes (16%) had glaucoma. Eyes that developed glaucoma had early primary surgery (mean, 0.2 years, p < 0.001, significant); there was no difference in glaucoma rates based on implantation site.

CONCLUSION

Early postoperative inflammation is higher in eyes with sulcus implantation, but good visual acuity outcomes are noted after secondary IOL implantation in children. Glaucoma is the main complication that requires close monitoring and is associated with early age at primary surgery.

Comparative analysis of visual outcomes of multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses in congenital cataract surgery

PURPOSE

To assess the impact on visual development of multifocal versus monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) implantation in children following congenital cataract surgery.

DESIGN

Retrospective interventional consecutive case series.

METHODS

We reviewed the records of 56 eyes of 43 pediatric patients who underwent congenital cataract surgery with phacoaspiration and simultaneous implantation of IOL under one year of age. Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), refractive error and ocular motility disorders were evaluated after a follow-up greater than 4 years.

RESULTS

We implanted 32 multifocal (18unilateral, Group A and 14bilateral, Group B) and 24monofocal IOLs (12unilateral, Group C and 12bilateral, Group D). Mean follow-up was 6.67 years. Mean CDVA of the eyes with multifocal IOL was 0.75±0.46 logMAR in unilateral cataract surgery and 0.34±0.25logMAR in bilateral ones; with monofocal IOLs was 0.71±0.52logMAR in unilateral and 0.53±0.43logMAR in bilateral ones. No statistically significant difference in CDVA between Groups A and B and Groups C and D has been recorded. Final mean spherical equivalent was -3.88±4.73D; in Group A it was -2.74±4.22D, in Group C was -1.08±1.45D, in Group B was -4.82±4.64D and in Group D was -6.81 ± 4.61D.The difference was statistically significant between Group B and D (p=0.01), but not between Group A and C (p=0.14).Twenty-six patients (60.4%) showed post-operative strabismus. Its surgical correction occurred more in patients with multifocal IOL implanted (p=0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the use of multifocal IOLs did not show significant advantages in visual development in children following congenital cataract extraction under one year of age if compared with monofocal IOLs.

Outcomes and surgical management of persistent fetal vasculature

Objective

To analyse outcomes in different forms of persistent fetal vasculature (PFV).

Methods and analysis

Retrospective cohort study at a university-based practice of children presenting with PFV between 2011 and 2020. Exclusion criteria was surgical management outside of our institution and follow-up less than 1 month. Wilcoxon and Student’s t-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Forty-six eyes of 45 patients presented with PFV at 16.7±31.3 (median 2.8) months old with 32.6±29.8 (median 22.5) months of follow-up. Types of PFV included: mild combined anterior-posterior (23 eyes, 50%), severe combined anterior-posterior (18 eyes, 39%), severe anterior (3 eyes, 7%), mild anterior (1 eye, 2%) and posterior (1 eye, 2%). Thirty-two eyes (70%) underwent PFV surgical correction; lensectomy (13 mild combined), vitrectomy (3 mild combined), sequential lensectomy then vitrectomy (3 severe combined), combined lensectomy-vitrectomy (11 severe anterior or severe combined), laser retinopexy (1 mild combined). Five eyes required additional vitrectomy surgery for retinal detachment, fold or cyclitic membrane. Nine eyes developed glaucoma, six requiring Intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering surgery. At final follow-up, 32 eyes had at least form vision and 6 eyes were aversive to light. Eight eyes, all which were severe combined, and four that did not undergo PFV surgery, were unable to detect light due to phthisis bulbi (7) and optic nerve hypoplasia (1).

Conclusions

Classification of PFV is important in determining surgical approach with severe cases often requiring both lensectomy and vitrectomy for optimal anatomic and functional outcomes.

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.

Treatment of congenital and early childhood cataract

The successful outcome of treatment for infant and childhood cataract depends on many factors. It is crucial that the treatment falls into a phase in which neither the eye nor the visual pathway and visual cortex are fully developed. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge and provides an overview of the epidemiology, causes and clinical forms, early detection and, above all, treatment options. Special attention is paid to time-critical stages of development, according to which the therapeutic concepts are based. Complications, such as amblyopia and glaucoma are discussed in detail. In addition to surgical aspects, much emphasis is placed on orthoptic-refractive aftercare, the quality and execution of which is the essential predictor of a good functional outcome.

Preoperative Predictors for Esodeviation and Exodeviation after Cataract Surgery in Children

Purpose: For those children that went on to have strabismus surgery after cataract surgery, we sought to identify preoperative predictors for whether strabismus surgery would be for an esodeviation or for an exodeviation.Design: Retrospective studyMethods: Charts of patients <18 years who underwent cataract surgery were reviewed. Data from the first strabismus surgery after cataract surgery were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using T-test for continuous variable and chi-square test for categorical variable. A binomial logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects of variables that were found to be significant.Results: 142 patients were identified having strabismus surgery. Type of deviation at first strabismus surgery was: Esodeviation: 72 (50.7%), exodeviation 55 (38.7%), and surgery for only vertical strabismus 15 (10.6%). Age at cataract surgery was an independent variable determining subsequent surgery for esodeviation or exodeviation. For each year increase in age at cataract surgery, the odds of having surgery for exotropia instead of esotropia increases by a factor of 1.620 (P = .005). Odds that strabismus surgery will be for exodeviation is 4.9 times higher in children who had cataract surgery at 1 year of age or greater as compared to children <1 year of age (P < .001).Conclusion: For those children who went on to have strabismus surgery after cataract surgery, younger age at cataract surgery increases the chance that subsequent strabismus surgery will be for an esodeviation. Those who had cataract surgery at an older age were more likely to have surgery for exotropia than for esotropia.

Machine Learning Applications in Pediatric Ophthalmology

Purpose: To describe emerging applications of machine learning (ML) in pediatric ophthalmology with an emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting visual development. Methods: Literature review of studies applying ML algorithms to problems in pediatric ophthalmology. Results: At present, the ML literature emphasizes applications in retinopathy of prematurity. However, there are increasing efforts to apply ML techniques in the diagnosis of amblyogenic conditions such as pediatric cataracts, strabismus, and high refractive error. Conclusions: A greater understanding of the principles governing ML will enable pediatric eye care providers to apply the methodology to unexplored challenges within the subspecialty.

The impact of late-treated pediatric cataract on intraocular pressure

PURPOSE

To assess the intraocular pressure and visual acuity before and after pediatric congenital cataract surgery performed at a relatively older age.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of all consecutive pediatric patients diagnosed and operated for bilateral congenital cataracts during a seven-year period (2012-2018) in rural southern Ethiopia. Non-ambulatory vision was defined as hand motion or worse. The main outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual acuity.

RESULTS

Thirty-two children were included, 17 females (53.1%), with a mean age of 11 years (± 2.83) [range, 7-18]. A total of 59 eyes were operated on. The mean follow-up was 4.8 ± 1.8 years (range, 2-8). VA improved from 20/1400 preoperatively to 20/440 postoperatively OD and 20/540 OS (p < 0.001). More eyes had ambulatory vision after cataract surgery than pre-surgery (56 eyes [95%] vs. 29 eyes [49%], p < 0.001). The IOP decreased from a mean preoperative value of 18.4 ± 7.1 mmHg to 14.5 ± 2.9 postoperatively OD (p < 0.001) and 16.3 ± 5.9 mmHg to 13.9 ± 3.5 OS (p < 0.001). Fifteen eyes (24%) had increased IOP (> 21 mmHg) preoperatively, of which three remained high after surgery. Positive correlations were found between IOP, axial length and cup-to-disc ratio. None of the patients required pressure-lowering procedures.

CONCLUSION

Bilateral congenital cataracts may be associated with ocular hypertension, with possible progression to glaucoma if left untreated. Surgery at a relatively older age often was associated with a significant improvement in intraocular pressure and ambulatory vision.

Long-term Effect of Intraocular Lens vs Contact Lens Correction on Visual Acuity After Cataract Surgery During Infancy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Although intraocular lenses (IOLs) are often implanted in children, little is known whether primary IOL implantation or aphakia and contact lens correction results in better long-term visual outcomes after unilateral cataract surgery during infancy.

Objective

To compare long-term visual outcomes with contact lens vs IOL correction following unilateral cataract surgery during infancy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This multicenter randomized clinical trial enrolled 114 infants with a unilateral congenital cataract who underwent cataract surgery with or without primary IOL implantation between 1 and 6 months of age. Data on long-term visual outcomes were collected when the children were age 10.5 years (July 14, 2015, to July 12, 2019) and analyzed from March 30 through August 6, 2019.

Interventions

Intraocular lens implantation at the time of cataract surgery.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Best-corrected visual acuity using the electronic Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (E-ETDRS) testing protocol. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis.

Results

Best-corrected visual acuity was measured at age 10.5 years for 110 of the 114 patients (96%) enrolled as infants. The participants included 58 girls (53%) and 52 boys (47%). Overall, 27 of the children (25%) had good (logMAR 0.30 [Snellen equivalent, 20/40] or better) visual acuity in the treated eye (12 [22%] in the IOL group and 15 [27%] in the aphakia group), but 50 children (44%) had a visual acuity of logMAR 1.00 (Snellen equivalent, 20/200) or worse (25 [44%] in the IOL group and 25 [44%] in the aphakia group). The median logMAR acuity in the treated eye was similar in children randomized to receive an IOL at the time of cataract extraction (0.89; interquartile range [IQR], 0.33-1.43 [Snellen equivalent, 20/159]) and those who remained aphakic (0.86; IQR, 0.30-1.46 [Snellen equivalent, 20/145]) (IQR, 0.30-1.46; P = .82). Although the overall difference in median visual acuity between the 2 groups was small, the estimate was imprecise (99% CI for the difference in medians was -0.54 to 0.47).

Conclusions and Relevance

As in previous phases of the study, visual acuity outcomes were highly variable with only 27 children (25%) achieving excellent visual acuity in their treated eye and 50 children (44%) having poor vision in the treated eye. Implanting an IOL at the time of cataract extraction was neither beneficial nor detrimental to the visual outcome.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00212134.

[Treatment of congenital and early childhood cataract]

The successful outcome of treatment for infant and childhood cataract depends on many factors. It is crucial that the treatment falls into a phase in which neither the eye nor the visual pathway and visual cortex are fully developed. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge and provides an overview of the epidemiology, causes and clinical forms, early detection and, above all, treatment options. Special attention is paid to time-critical stages of development, according to which the therapeutic concepts are based. Complications, such as amblyopia and glaucoma are discussed in detail. In addition to surgical aspects, much emphasis is placed on orthoptic-refractive aftercare, the quality and execution of which is the essential predictor of a good functional outcome.

Artificial intelligence manages congenital cataract with individualized prediction and telehealth computing

A challenge of chronic diseases that remains to be solved is how to liberate patients and medical resources from the burdens of long-term monitoring and periodic visits. Precise management based on artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise; however, a clinical application that fully integrates prediction and telehealth computing has not been achieved, and further efforts are required to validate its real-world benefits. Taking congenital cataract as a representative, we used Bayesian and deep-learning algorithms to create CC-Guardian, an AI agent that incorporates individualized prediction and scheduling, and intelligent telehealth follow-up computing. Our agent exhibits high sensitivity and specificity in both internal and multi-resource validation. We integrate our agent with a web-based smartphone app and prototype a prediction-telehealth cloud platform to support our intelligent follow-up system. We then conduct a retrospective self-controlled test validating that our system not only accurately detects and addresses complications at earlier stages, but also reduces the socioeconomic burdens compared to conventional methods. This study represents a pioneering step in applying AI to achieve real medical benefits and demonstrates a novel strategy for the effective management of chronic diseases.

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.

Visual Axis Opacity after Intraocular Lens Implantation in Children in the First 2 Years of Life: Findings from the IoLunder2 Cohort Study

PURPOSE

Appropriate correction of aphakia is key to good outcomes. There may be clinical settings where and populations in whom accessing or managing aphakic contact lenses is challenging. Strategies to target the increased risk of visual axis opacity (VAO) after primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in infancy are necessary. We describe the predictors of VAO after primary IOL implantation for unilateral or bilateral congenital or infantile cataract in children younger than 2 years of age.

DESIGN

Population-based (United Kingdom and Ireland), prospective, inception cohort study undertaken through a national clinical network.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 105 children (57 with bilateral cataract, 48 with unilateral cataract, total 162 eyes) undergoing primary IOL implantation in the first 2 years of life between January 2009 and December 2010.

METHODS

Observational longitudinal study with multilevel, multivariable modeling to investigate associations between outcome of interest and child- and treatment-specific factors, including age, axial length, socioeconomic status, IOL model, and postoperative steroid use.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Postoperative proliferative or inflammatory visual axis opacity (VAO) requiring surgical correction.

RESULTS

Visual axis opacity occurred in 67 eyes (45%), typically within the first postoperative year. Use of a 3-piece IOL model (odds ratio [OR], 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.99, P = 0.03) and increasing age at surgery (OR, 0.97, 95% CI, 0.95-0.99, P = 0.02) were each independently protective against the development of proliferative VAO. Inflammatory VAO was independently associated with socioeconomic deprivation (OR, 5.39; 95% CI, 1.46-19.89; P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Visual axis opacification is common after IOL implantation in early childhood. The findings of this prospective cohort study suggest that the use of 3-piece IOL models may reduce the risk of pseudophakic VAO in children younger than 2 years of age.

Comparison of visual acuity and complications between primary IOL implantation and aphakia in patients with congenital cataract younger than 2 years: a meta-analysis

To analyze the visual acuity and complications between primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and contact lens wearing, this literature search was performed with data on patients with congenital cataract younger than 2 years published in March 2019. Seven identified studies enrolling 675 eyes were selected for analysis. Patients with primary IOL implantation owned better visual acuity than those with aphakia who wore the contact lens (weighted mean difference = 0.161; 95% CI, 0.108-0.214). For visual axis opacification (VAO), primary IOL implantation increases the incidence of VAO compared with contact lens wearing (relative risk = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.13-0.42). No statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups about the prevalence of glaucoma and strabismus. Primary IOL implantation achieved better visual outcomes after cataract extraction in patients younger than 2 years. In addition, no higher risk for complications among primary IOL implantation compared with contact lens wearing was noted. Therefore, implanting a primary IOL during congenital cataract surgery is a better therapy for children younger than 2 years than wearing a contact lens.

Outcomes of Bilateral Cataracts Removed in Infants 1 to 7 Months of Age Using the Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Treatment Study Registry

PURPOSE

To evaluate outcomes of bilateral cataract surgery in infants 1 to 7 months of age performed by Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS) investigators during IATS recruitment and to compare them with IATS unilateral outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series review at 10 IATS sites.

PARTICIPANTS

The Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Study (TAPS) is a registry of children treated by surgeons who participated in the IATS.

METHODS

Children underwent bilateral cataract surgery with or without intraocular lens (IOL) placement during IATS enrollment years 2004 through 2010.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Visual acuity (VA), strabismus, adverse events (AEs), and reoperations.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-eight eyes (96 children) were identified with a median age of 2.5 months (range, 1-7 months) at the time of cataract surgery. Forty-two eyes (24%) received primary IOL implantation. Median VA of the better-seeing eye at final study visit closest to 5 years of age with optotype VA testing was 0.35 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR; optotype equivalent, 20/45; range, 0.00-1.18 logMAR) in both aphakic and pseudophakic children. Corrected VA was excellent (<20/40) in 29% of better-seeing eyes, 15% of worse-seeing eyes. One percent showed poor acuity (≥20/200) in the better-seeing eye, 12% in the worse-seeing eye. Younger age at surgery and smaller (<9.5 mm) corneal diameter at surgery conferred an increased risk for glaucoma or glaucoma suspect designation (younger age: odds ratio [OR], 1.44; P = 0.037; and smaller cornea: OR, 3.95; P = 0.045). Adverse events also were associated with these 2 variables on multivariate analysis (younger age: OR, 1.36; P = 0.023; and smaller cornea: OR, 4.78; P = 0.057). Visual axis opacification was more common in pseudophakic (32%) than aphakic (8%) eyes (P = 0.009). Unplanned intraocular reoperation occurred in 28% of first enrolled eyes (including glaucoma surgery in 10%).

CONCLUSIONS

Visual acuity after bilateral cataract surgery in infants younger than 7 months is good, despite frequent systemic and ocular comorbidities. Although aphakia management did not affect VA outcome or AE incidence, IOL placement increased the risk of visual axis opacification. Adverse events and glaucoma correlated with a younger age at surgery and glaucoma correlated with the presence of microcornea.

Incidence of and Risk Factors for Suspected Glaucoma and Glaucoma After Congenital and Infantile Cataract Surgery: A Longitudinal Study in China

PRéCIS:: The overall incidence of postoperative suspected glaucoma and glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery is low; however, the identification of the associated risk factors helps to monitor susceptible individuals and to provide real-time surveillance and timely intervention.

PURPOSE

Pediatric patients who have undergone surgery for congenital or infantile cataracts have a risk of developing suspected glaucoma and glaucoma, but the current evidence does not address our understanding of the incidence and associated risk factors of suspected glaucoma/glaucoma for application in clinical standard care. Therefore, this study investigated the incidence of and risk factors for suspected glaucoma/glaucoma in patients who have undergone surgery for congenital/infantile cataracts.

METHODS

This study used a prospective cohort of 241 eyes from 241 patients who were 10 years of age or younger and who had undergone congenital/infantile cataract surgeries and were recruited from January 2011 to December 2016 at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center. Pediatric patients who underwent cataract surgery were classified into 2 groups according to intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. The patients' baseline characteristics and the incidence and risk factors for suspected glaucoma/glaucoma were assessed.

RESULTS

The incidence of suspected glaucoma after cataract surgery was 10.70% [26 of 241 eyes; 95% confidence interval (CI), 6.88%-14.70%]. The rate of suspected glaucoma developing into glaucoma was 26.92% (7 of 26 eyes; 95% CI, 9.87%-43.97%), and the incidence of glaucoma was 2.90% (7 of 241 eyes; 95% CI, 0.79%-5.03%). Our study revealed that the incidence of suspected glaucoma/glaucoma in patients who did not receive IOL implantation was 13.91% (21 of 151 eyes; 95% CI, 8.39%-19.42%), and the incidence in patients who received IOL implantation was 5.56% (5 of 90 eyes; 95% CI, 8.23%-10.28%). The preoperative central corneal thickness (hazard ratio, 1.003; 95% CI, 1.001 to 1.004; P=0.004) and a family history of congenital cataracts (hazard ratio, 2.314; 95% CI, 1.004-5.331; P=0.049) were significant risk factors in patients without IOL implantation. Patient age at the time of cataract surgery was not a statistically significant risk factor for the development of suspected glaucoma/glaucoma in patients without IOL implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of the incidence of and risk factors for suspected glaucoma/glaucoma may help clinicians monitor susceptible individuals and provide timely surveillance and interventions in a clinical setting. Age at the time of cataract surgery was not a risk factor for suspected glaucoma/glaucoma in patients without IOL implantation, and this may allow the timing window for pediatric cataract surgery to be expanded and support new insights into the optimal timing of surgery for standard care.