Transsclerally fixated intraocular lenses in children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To evaluate the visual outcome and complications of transsclerally fixated intraocular lenses (IOLs) in children without sufficient capsular support. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-one aphakic eyes of 18 children (13 boys and 5 girls) who underwent secondary transscleral IOL fixation were evaluated retrospectively. Ten eyes with aphakia after infantile cataract surgery, 7 aphakic eyes following traumatic cataract surgery, and 4 eyes after ectopia lentis surgery received secondary transscleral posterior chamber IOL fixation because of by insufficient posterior capsular support. Visual outcomes and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS After a mean follow up of 22.5 months (range, 12 to 36 months), visual improvement of more than 2 Snellen lines was observed in 9 eyes (42.8 %). Preoperative visual acuity could not be assessed in 7 eyes (33.3%) because of associated neurological and developmental disorders. One eye (4.7%) lost 2 Snellen lines of the best corrected visual acuity because of concurrent endophthalmitis and retinal detachment. Pupillary distortion, transient pupillary membrane, pupillary capture as well as strabismus and anterior uveitis, were the most common complications. Endophthalmitis and retinal detachment were the most severe postoperative complications. CONCLUSION Transsclerally fixated IOL implantation may be visually rewarding in well selected pediatric cases, but the potential complications would suggest extreme caution in its consideration. Until long-term studies are published, it is difficult to recommend implantation unless it is deemed impossible to provide adequate rehabilitation by other means such as contact lenses or aphakic spectacles.