Long-term results of in-the-bag primary intraocular lens implantation in children younger than 24 months.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety of primary intraocular lens implantation in a large number of eyes in children aged <24 months.

Methods: The medical records of patients aged 5-24 months, who underwent primary intraocular lens implantation in the capsular bag, were reviewed. A foldable three-piece acrylic intraocular lens was implanted by the same surgeon using a single surgical technique. Patients who had <1 year of follow-up after the surgery were excluded. The main outcome measurements included visual acuity, myopic shift, follow-up complications, and additional surgeries.

Results: Sixty-eight patients (93 eyes) were analyzed. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 15.06 ± 6.19 months (range: 5-24 months), and the spherical equivalent 1 month after surgery was 3.62 ± 2.32 D. After 5.67 ± 3.10 years, the spherical equivalent was -0.09 ± 3.22 D, and the corrected distance visual acuity was 0.33 ± 0.33 and 0.64 ± 0.43 logMAR in bilateral and unilateral cases, respectively (p=0.000). The highest myopic shift was observed in infants who underwent surgery at ages 5 and 6 months. The most frequent complications included visual axis opacification and corectopia. Glaucoma and retinal detachment were not reported.

Conclusion: Primary in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation in children aged 5-24 months is safe, and is associated with low rates of adverse events and additional surgery.