Anterior vitreous face behavior with AcrySof in pediatric cataract surgery.

Purpose: To describe anterior vitreous face behavior when AcrySof (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX) intraocular lenses come in contact with the anterior vitreous face after posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis without anterior vitrectomy in pediatric patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Methods: This study comprised 14 eyes of 12 children whose mean age was 9.6 years (range, 2.3 to 16.0). All eyes underwent primary posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis without anterior vitrectomy and had AcrySof IOLs implanted in the bag. Changes on the anterior vitreous face were documented, and visual acuity was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using Student group t and Mann Whitney tests.

Results: Mean length of follow-up was 21.1 +/- 7.4 months (range, 15.0 to 36 months). Nine eyes (64.3%) had a clear visual axis, whereas 5 eyes (35.7%) developed anterior vitreous face changes. Of those with anterior vitreous face changes, 60% (3 of 5) eyes showed a fine meshwork-like reticular response termed "anterior vitreous reticular response" (AVR); 20% (1 of 5) eyes showed a scaffold response; and 20% (1 of 5) eyes showed a mixed response at the last follow-up examination. The difference in visual acuity before and after the development of the AVR response was not significant (P =.712). The mean age of patients with eyes having a clear visual axis was 12.1 +/- 2.3 years (median = 11.0; range, 9.1 to 16.0), and the mean age of patients with eyes having anterior vitreous face changes was 5.1 +/- 3.4 years (median = 3.6; range, 2.3 to 11.6) (P =.0098).

Conclusion: The results suggest that when the AcrySof intraocular lenses come in contact with the anterior vitreous face, they produce the AVR response during the early postoperative period in younger eyes. This does not seem to have any significant impact on visual acuity.