Long-term outcome of pediatric aphakic glaucoma

Challenges of Secondary Glaucoma Management Following Congenital Cataract Surgery, Penetrating Keratoplasty and Vitreoretinal Surgery

Glaucoma is one of the world's leading causes of irreversible vision loss. It is often asymptomatic until it reaches an advanced stage, which can have a significant impact on patients' daily lives. This paper describes the case of a 50-year-old female patient who presented with acute onset of ocular pain, photophobia, and loss of visual acuity in her right eye (RE). The patient's medical history includes congenital cataracts, surgical aphakia, nystagmus, strabismus, amblyopia, and secondary glaucoma. Ophthalmological examination showed BCVA RE-hand movement, left eye (LE)-0.08 with an intraocular pressure (IOP) of 30 mmHg in RE and 16 mmHg in LE. Biomicroscopic examination of RE showed corneal graft, epithelial and endothelial edema, endothelial precipitates, corneal neovascularization, aphakia, and Ahmed valve superotemporally. Despite maximal topical and systemic treatment, Ahmed valve, and trabeculectomy, secondary glaucoma in the right eye remained refractory. Reimplantation of an Ahmed valve was performed. This resulted in a favorable outcome with increased visual acuity and controlled intraocular pressure. The combination of aphakia, penetrating keratoplasty, and secondary glaucoma is a challenge for any surgeon. It is important that both the perioperative risks and the possible complications are carefully assessed in each patient, especially if associated pathology is present.

Management of Childhood Glaucoma Following Cataract Surgery

Glaucoma remains a frequent serious complication following cataract surgery in children. The optimal approach to management for 'glaucoma following cataract surgery' (GFCS), one of the paediatric glaucoma subtypes, is an ongoing debate. This review evaluates the various management options available and aims to propose a clinical management strategy for GFCS cases. A literature search was conducted in four large databases (Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science), from 1995 up to December 2021. Thirty-nine studies-presenting (1) eyes with GFCS; a disease entity as defined by the Childhood Glaucoma Research Network Classification, (2) data on treatment outcomes, and (3) follow-up data of at least 6 months-were included. Included papers report on GFCS treated with angle surgery, trabeculectomy, glaucoma drainage device implantation (GDD), and cyclodestructive procedures. Medical therapy is the first-line treatment in GFCS, possibly to bridge time to surgery. Multiple surgical procedures are often required to adequately control GFCS. Angle surgery (360 degree) may be considered before proceeding to GDD implantation, since this technique offers good results and is less invasive. Literature suggests that GDD implantation gives the best chance for long-term IOP control in childhood GFCS and some studies put this technique forward as a good choice for primary surgery. Cyclodestruction seems to be effective in some cases with uncontrolled IOP. Trabeculectomy should be avoided, especially in children under the age of one year and children that are left aphakic. The authors provide a flowchart to guide the management of individual GFCS cases.

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.

Angle Surgery in Pediatric Glaucoma Following Cataract Surgery

Glaucoma is a common and sight-threatening complication of pediatric cataract surgery Reported incidence varies due to variability in study designs and length of follow-up. Consistent and replicable risk factors for developing glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) are early age at the time of surgery, microcornea, and additional surgical interventions. The exact mechanism for GFCS has yet to be completely elucidated. While medical therapy is the first line for treatment of GFCS, many eyes require surgical intervention, with various surgical modalities each posing a unique host of risks and benefits. Angle surgical techniques include goniotomy and trabeculotomy, with trabeculotomy demonstrating increased success over goniotomy as an initial procedure in pediatric eyes with GFCS given the success demonstrated throughout the literature in reducing IOP and number of IOP-lowering medications required post-operatively. The advent of microcatheter facilitated circumferential trabeculotomies lead to increased success compared to traditional <180° rigid probe trabeculotomy in GFCS. The advent of two-site rigid-probe trabeculotomy indicated that similar results could be attained without the use of the more expensive microcatheter system. Further studies of larger scale, with increased follow-up, and utilizing randomization would be beneficial in determining optimum surgical management of pediatric GFCS.

Cyclodiode Laser as the First Surgical Approach in Childhood Glaucoma Under the Age of 8 Years

PRCIS

Cyclodiode as a primary treatment for childhood glaucoma patients younger than 8 years has a 12-month success rate of 55.24%. It can delay the need for penetrating glaucoma surgery.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment outcome of cyclodiode laser in childhood glaucoma for patients under the age of 8 years.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective, consecutive, noncomparative case series.

PARTICIPANTS

All childhood glaucoma patients who underwent cyclodiode from March 2005 to January 2017 as a primary surgical treatment under the age of 8 years.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent cyclodiode by a single surgeon.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Success for single-diode intervention was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) (>6 wk postoperative) ≤21 mm Hg with antiglaucoma medications and ≥20% IOP reduction, no further glaucoma surgery including cyclodiode, no loss of perception of light, and no major complications. Success for multiple-diode interventions was defined similar to the single diode, except that repeated cyclodiode is not considered a failure.

RESULTS

In all, 59 eyes of 43 patients were studied. The most common diagnosis was aphakic glaucoma. The mean age at cyclodiode treatment was 2.7 years (SD=2.2). Fifty-six percent of the patients were under 3 years. Success rates at 12 months after the procedure were 46.67% and 55.24% for single-diode and multiple-diode interventions, respectively. An IOP of >20 mm Hg 6 weeks after a cyclodiode session is a significant risk factor for failure with an hazard ratio of 2.41 (95% confidence interval: 1.00-5.81; P=0.05). Among the operated eyes, the surgeon could avoid further glaucoma surgery in 67.8% of the eyes during the first year after single or multiple cyclodiode sessions. None of the eyes experienced phthisis bulbi, hypotony, and severe uveitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Cyclodiode laser in childhood glaucoma patients under the age of 8 years can be considered a safe alternative for glaucoma patients who can have a high risk of surgical complications. Performing cyclodiode laser can delay the need for penetrating glaucoma surgery. The IOP at 6 weeks may be a good predictor for the treatment outcome.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment of Secondary Glaucoma After Pediatric Congenital Cataract Surgery in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Spain

PURPOSE

To analyze clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcomes of pediatric patients with glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery at a single tertiary care hospital.

METHODS

Medical records of pediatric patients diagnosed as having glaucoma secondary to congenital cataract surgery between 1996 and 2016 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

A total of 58 eyes of 42 patients were included with a median follow-up time of 55 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 27 to 128) after glaucoma diagnosis. Mean time of glaucoma onset after cataract surgery was 35 months (IQR: 5 to 96). At diagnosis, 81% of the eyes were aphakic and the majority presented with an open angle (86%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that glaucoma diagnosis was made earlier in eyes with persistent fetal vasculature (β = -0.334, P = .006) and aphakic eyes (β = 0.404, P = .001). Two-thirds of eyes required surgical treatment for glaucoma. Seventy percent had an Ahmed glaucoma valve (New World Medical, Inc) implantation as their primary procedure, followed by trabeculectomy (24%) and synechiolysis with peripheral iridotomy (6%). All medically treated eyes and 78% of the surgically treated eyes achieved intraocular pressure (IOP) control at the final visit.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnosis of glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery seems to follow a bimodal distribution (years 1 and 5 after cataract surgery). Two-thirds of the eyes required surgical hypotensive treatment to achieve IOP control. Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation is a safe and effective surgical option to be considered as both first- and second-line treatment. Functional outcome was more favorable in those eyes with medically controlled glaucoma. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(5):292-300.].

360-Degree Trabeculotomy for Medically Refractory Glaucoma Following Cataract Surgery and Juvenile Open-Angle Glaucoma

PURPOSE

Although angle surgeries show good success in primary congenital glaucoma, reported success in glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) and juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG) is variable and with relatively short follow-up. We evaluated longer-term outcomes of 360-degree trabeculotomy for medically refractory GFCS and JOAG.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

First operated eyes of consecutive patients with medically refractory GFCS and JOAG in a single-surgeon pediatric glaucoma practice who underwent illuminated microcatheter-assisted 360-degree trabeculotomy from February 2008 to June 2015 were reviewed. Baseline characteristics, time to failure or last visit, surgical details, final intraocular pressure (IOP), and complications were recorded. Success required IOP ≤22 mm Hg and 20% reduction without additional glaucoma surgery or devastating complication.

RESULTS

Thirty-five eyes (35 patients) were included: 25 GFCS and 10 JOAG (mean age at surgery 5.6 vs 16.7 years, respectively, P < .001). Success for GFCS and JOAG was 18 of 25 (72%) vs 6 of 10 (60%) eyes at mean follow-up of 31.9 ± 26.1 vs 24.5 ± 19.7 months, respectively. IOP was significantly reduced from baseline for both GFCS and JOAG (31.5 ± 7.5 mm Hg vs 19.2 ± 7.7 mm Hg, P < .001; and 29.5 ± 10.3 mm Hg vs 15.8 ± 6.6 mm Hg, P < .001, respectively). Fewer glaucoma medications were needed after surgery (P = .01) for GFCS but not JOAG. Complications (all but 2 spontaneously resolving) included choroidal effusion (1), vitreous hemorrhage (3), Descemet detachment (1), and persistent hyphema (2). Three-year Kaplan-Meier success for GFCS vs JOAG was 75.3% vs 53.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Illuminated microcatheter-assisted 360-degree trabeculotomy is a useful, low-risk, modestly successful initial surgical treatment for both medically refractory GFCS and JOAG.

Diagnosis of pupillary block glaucoma after removal of congenital cataracts with intraoperative ultrasound biomicroscopy: a case report

Background

Aphakic glaucoma is a common complication after congenital cataract extraction, especially in those who have surgery during infancy. This case report describes a case of bilateral pupillary block glaucoma diagnosed with intraoperative ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) after removal of congenital cataract.

Case presentation

We present a case report of a 9-month-old infant with bilateral corneal enlargement and ocular hypertension after uneventful removal of congenital cataracts. Initial and follow-up examination findings were reviewed. The infant was suspected to have developmental glaucoma and schemed to have bilateral trabeculotomy until pupillary obstruction by vitreous herniation and angle closure with iris bombé were detected by intraoperative UBM. Anterior vitrectomy and goniosynechialysis were then performed as treatment.

Conclusion

Pupillary block glaucoma is a rare type of infantile aphakic glaucoma. Application of intraoperative UBM can assist in the differential diagnosis of aphakic glaucoma in infants.

Glaucoma-Related Adverse Events in the First 5 Years After Unilateral Cataract Removal in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study

IMPORTANCE

Glaucoma-related adverse events constitute major sight-threatening complications of cataract removal in infancy, yet their relationship to aphakia vs primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation remains unsettled.

OBJECTIVE

To identify and characterize cases of glaucoma and glaucoma-related adverse events (glaucoma + glaucoma suspect) among children in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study by the age of 5 years.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A multicenter randomized clinical trial of 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataract in referral centers who were between ages 1 and 6 months at surgery. Mean follow-up was 4.8 years. This secondary analysis was conducted from December 23, 2004, to November 13, 2013.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomized at cataract surgery to either primary IOL or no IOL implantation (contact lens). Standardized definitions of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect were created for the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study and applied for surveillance and diagnosis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Development of glaucoma and glaucoma + glaucoma suspect in operated on eyes for children up to age 5 years, plus intraocular pressure, visual acuity, and axial length at age 5 years.

RESULTS

Product limit estimates of the risk for glaucoma and glaucoma + glaucoma suspect at 4.8 years after surgery were 17% (95% CI, 11%-25%) and 31% (95% CI, 24%-41%), respectively. The contact lens and IOL groups were not significantly different for either outcome: glaucoma (hazard ratio [HR], 0.8; 95% CI, 0.3-2.0; P = .62) and glaucoma + glaucoma suspect (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.6-2.5; P = .58). Younger (vs older) age at surgery conferred an increased risk for glaucoma (26% vs 9%, respectively) at 4.8 years after surgery (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.3), and smaller (vs larger) corneal diameter showed an increased risk for glaucoma + glaucoma suspect (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-5.0). Age and corneal diameter were significantly positively correlated. Glaucoma was predominantly open angle (19 of 20 cases, 95%), most eyes received medication (19 of 20, 95%), and 8 of 20 eyes (40%) underwent surgery.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These results suggest that glaucoma-related adverse events are common and increase between ages 1 and 5 years in infants after unilateral cataract removal at 1 to 6 months of age; primary IOL placement does not mitigate their risk but surgery at a younger age increases the risk. Longer follow-up of these children may further characterize risk factors, long-term outcomes, potential differences between eyes having primary IOL vs aphakia, and optimal timing of unilateral congenital cataract removal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00212134.

Surgical Management of Glaucoma After Congenital Cataract Surgery

PURPOSE

Cataract surgery in children is a difficult entity with possible complications, glaucoma being particularly common. The purpose of this study was to explore the results of surgical intervention for glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery in Alexandria University, Egypt.

METHODS

The study was a retrospective chart review of 32 children with glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery between 2005 and 2012. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected. Complications were noted. Success was studied at the end of follow-up.

RESULTS

The study included 41 (36 aphakic, 5 pseudophakic) eyes of 32 children undergoing 57 glaucoma surgical procedures. The mean ± standard deviation age at the time of surgery was 17.2 ± 21.6 months (range: 3.0 to 103.5 months) and the mean follow-up period was 39.1 ± 25.2 months (range: 1 to 75 months). The most common (78%) primary glaucoma surgical procedure was combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure, corneal diameter and thickness, cup-disc ratio, and axial length of the study eyes was 22.3 ± 6.1 mm Hg (range: 10 to 34 mm Hg), 11.4 ± 0.9 mm (range: 10 to 13 mm) and 617.6 ± 66.8 µm (range: 538 to 758 µm), 0.5 ± 0.3 mm (range: 0 to 1 mm), and 22.85 ± 2.75 mm (range: 18.55 to 29.17 mm), respectively, and postoperatively at last follow-up was 11.0 ± 7.3 mm Hg (range: 1 to 36 mm Hg), 11.5 ± 0.9 mm (range: 10 to 13 mm) and 576.8 ± 83.3 µm (range: 461 to 736 µm), 0.4 ± 0.3 mm (range: 0 to 1 mm), and 24.62 ± 2.81 mm (range: 19.70 to 32.81 mm), respectively. Success was reported in 34 (82.9%) eyes. Complications included endophthalmitis, hypotony disc edema, and retinal detachment.

CONCLUSIONS

Glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery is a difficult entity, often requiring more than one surgical procedure to control it. Long-term follow-up is mandatory to detect any failure of treatment at any time point and manage accordingly.

Complications of pediatric cataract surgery

PURPOSE

Cataract surgery in young children poses different challenges and potential complications compared to those encountered in adult populations. We performed a literature review of the complications of pediatric cataract surgery.

METHODS

Literature review of complications of pediatric cataract surgery.

RESULTS

Complications in children vary based on the age of the patient at surgery and the cause of the cataract. Common events discussed include increased inflammatory response, opacification of the posterior capsule, lens reproliferation, pupillary membrane, and amblyopia; less common events include infections, significant bleeding, and retinal detachment.

CONCLUSION

Complications after cataract surgery in children are often associated with a robust inflammatory reaction or secondary opacity and, in infants, glaucoma. Late complications can occur decades later, so that long-term follow-up is required. Though surgery carries significant risks, the consequences of no surgery and irreversible deprivation amblyopia in very young children should be considered.

Ocular hypertension after pediatric cataract surgery: baseline characteristics and first-year report

Monitoring intraocular pressure (IOP) is essential for pediatric cataract treatment but always difficult due to lack of cooperation in young children. We present the baseline characteristics and the first-year results of a long-term prospective cohort study, which are aimed to determine the relationship of the incidence of ocular hypertension (OH) in children after cataract surgery during the first-year period and the risk of developing late-onset glaucoma. Children were included with the following criteria: they were≤10 years old and scheduled to undergo cataract surgery with/without intraocular lens implantation; they were compliant with our follow-up protocol, which included monitoring IOP using a Tono-Pen under sedation or anesthesia. Incidence of OH, peak OH value, OH onset time and OH duration within a 12-month period following surgery were measured. In brief, 206 patients (379 eyes) were included and OH developed in 66 of 379 (17.4%) eyes. The mean follow-up period was 14.0±3.2 months (median, 12 months; range, 10–16 months). Moreover, 33 of 196 (16.8%) aphakic eyes and 33 of 183 (18.0%) IOL eyes were diagnosed with OH. The peak OH onset times were at 1-week (34/66, 51.5%) and 1-month (14/66, 21.2%) appointments postsurgery. The peak IOP value in the OH eyes was 29.9±7.5 mmHg (median, 29 mmHg; range, 21–48 mmHg). The duration of OH was 30.9±31.2 days (median, 30 days; range, 3–150 days). OH recurred in 13 eyes with a history of OH diagnosed within 1 month postsurgery (13/54, 24.1%), which needed temporary or long term use of antiglaucoma medications. In conclusion, the incidence of OH in children after cataract surgery was 17.4% during the first-year period. Children who have suffered elevated IOP in the first year after cataract surgery should be followed closely to determine if there is an increased risk of developing late-onset glaucoma.

[Aphakic and pseudophakic glaucoma following pediatric cataract surgery]

Modern surgical techniques allow congenital cataract surgery to be performed much more successfully. The development of a secondary glaucoma is the most dreaded postoperative complication (one third of all pediatric secondary glaucomas). Due to the limited value of the available literature, data on prevalence are unreliable. A 10-year postoperative incidence of 10-25% is given in the literature for developing secondary glaucoma and the frequency increases with the duration of follow-up. A major risk factor seems to be the age at the time of surgery. The younger the patient is at the time of surgery the higher the risk of secondary glaucoma. A microcornea seems to be another risk factor in multivariate analysis. The following postoperative changes might be involved in the pathogenesis: peripheral anterior synechia, high iris insertion and membranous material over the trabecular meshwork. Additionally postoperative inflammation, reaction to lens epithelial cells, perioperative barotrauma and loss of anterior segment architecture might also be responsible. In order to evaluate the optimal age window for congenital cataract surgery and risk factors for the development of secondary glaucoma, a prospective longitudinal study is mandatory.

Glaucoma-related adverse events in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study: 1-year results

OBJECTIVES

To report the incidence of glaucoma and glaucoma suspects in the IATS, and to evaluate risk factors for the development of a glaucoma-related adverse event in patients in the IATS in the first year of follow-up.

METHODS

A total of 114 infants between 1 and 6 months of age with a unilateral congenital cataract were assigned to undergo cataract surgery either with or without an intraocular lens implant. Standardized definitions of glaucoma and glaucoma suspect were created and used in the IATS.

RESULTS

Of these 114 patients, 10 (9%) developed glaucoma and 4 (4%) had glaucoma suspect, for a total of 14 patients (12%) with a glaucoma-related adverse event in the treated eye through the first year of follow-up. Of the 57 patients who underwent lensectomy and anterior vitrectomy, 5 (9%) developed a glaucoma-related adverse event; of the 57 patients who underwent an intraocular lens implant, 9 (16%) developed a glaucoma-related adverse event. The odds of developing a glaucoma-related adverse event were 3.1 times higher for a child with persistent fetal vasculature and 1.6 times higher for each month of age younger at cataract surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Modern surgical techniques do not eliminate the early development of glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery with or without an intraocular lens implant. Younger patients with or without persistent fetal vasculature seem more likely to develop a glaucoma-related adverse event in the first year of follow-up. Vigilance for the early development of glaucoma is needed following congenital cataract surgery, especially when surgery is performed during early infancy or for a child with persistent fetal vasculature. Five-year follow-up data for the IATS will likely reveal more glaucoma-related adverse events.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00212134.

Glaucoma following infantile cataract surgery

PURPOSE

To examine incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of glaucoma following infantile cataract extraction.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent cataract extraction between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2006, at the Children's Medical Center in Dallas.

RESULTS

Sixty-four eyes met inclusion criteria, of which 11 eyes (17.2%) developed glaucoma during a mean follow-up of 65.1 ± 4.3 months. Age younger than 3 months at cataract diagnosis (odds ratio 4.89, P = .05) or cataract extraction (odds ratio 4.4, P = .047) and the presence of anterior chamber anomalies (odds ratio 8.0, P = .01) were the only risk factors found to have statistical significance for the development of glaucoma. Eight of 11 eyes with glaucoma (72.2%) required at least one surgical intervention. Three of 10 eyes (30%) had a final best-corrected visual acuity below 20/400 and another 4 eyes (40%) demonstrated some degree of amblyopia.

CONCLUSION

Despite modern microsurgical techniques, infantile cataract surgery continues to pose a risk of secondary glaucoma. This was particularly true when cataract was diagnosed and/or extracted in patients younger than 3 months of age. Most eyes that developed glaucoma required surgical management and visual outcomes continue to be poor in this group.

Secondary in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation in children who have been aphakic since early infancy

PURPOSE

To report the results of secondary in-the-bag intraocular lens (IOL) implantation compared to secondary sulcus IOL implantation in eyes that received cataract extraction during early infancy.

METHODS

This was a comparative retrospective study. Data were collected for the ages at cataract extraction and at secondary IOL implantation, the length of follow-up, the reasons for IOL insertion, postoperative complications, and pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity. Eyes with less than 6 months of follow-up were excluded from the analysis of postoperative outcome but were included in the rest of the analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-three eyes received in-the-bag secondary IOL implantation at the Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, during the past 10 years and were compared with 21 eyes that received secondary sulcus IOL implantation during the same time period. Both groups had cataract extraction during the first 4 months of life. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of age at secondary IOL implantation, sex, ethnicity, laterality, and eye measurements except for a longer mean axial length for the eyes implanted in the sulcus. The complications were comparable in both groups. The last follow-up best-corrected visual acuity clustered around a median of 20/40 and was not significantly different between the 2 groups or from the median preoperative best-corrected visual acuity of 20/50.

CONCLUSIONS

Secondary in-the-bag IOL implantation has comparable early results with sulcus IOL implantation while still allowing the use of single-piece acrylic IOLs and offering the chance, in suitable eyes, for implanting a secondary IOL in the anatomical space of the capsular bag.

A clínica da psicofísica

Apresentamos a Psicofísica como uma ciência aplicada nas investigações e nas abordagens e diagnósticos clínicos. Inicialmente, introduzimos algo dos aspectos epistemológicos e teóricos da área, passamos para as abordagens que a Psicofísica pode apresentar na aplicabilidade clínica e, por fim, discutimos os avanços recentes da aplicação clínica, apresentamos as experiências de nosso laboratório de pesquisa clínica em psicofísica, finalizando com as perspectivas de ampliação do uso da psicofísica para investigações clínicas de funções perceptuais mais complexas.

The incidence of glaucoma following paediatric cataract surgery: a 20-year retrospective study

AIMS

To analyse the incidence of glaucoma in children undergoing cataract surgery and determine whether early surgery is associated with increased risk of glaucoma.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of all children aged 14 years or less who had surgery for congenital or developmental cataract at one unit over the last 20 years. The children were divided into three groups; group 1 consisting of children aged < or =50 days at surgery, group 2 those aged 51 days to 1 year, and group 3 aged 1-14 years.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 104 eyes of 74 children. The medical records for 100 eyes (71 children) were available for review. In all, 17 eyes (12 children) were aged < or =50 days at surgery, none of which have developed glaucoma. Group 2 consisted of 28 eyes (17 children) with one patient developing glaucoma in both eyes 11 years after surgery. Group 3 consisted of 55 eyes (42 children), none of which have developed glaucoma. After a median follow-up period of 4.9 years (range 0.6-19.6 years, mean 6.4 +/- 5.2 years) 2% of eyes had developed glaucoma. There was no significant difference in the length of follow-up between groups (H=2.979, P=0.22, Kruskal-Wallis Test).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a low incidence of glaucoma in our series and this was not increased in those having surgery in the first 6 weeks of life. Our findings contribute further evidence for the variability in prevalence of glaucoma after paediatric cataract extraction in the literature and suggest that factors other than age at surgery are important risk factors for this condition.

Advances in the management of congenital and infantile cataract

Congenital and infantile cataracts produce deprivation amblyopia and can thus cause lifelong visual impairment. Successful management is dependent on early diagnosis and referral for surgery when indicated. Accurate optical rehabilitation and postoperative supervision are essential.The timing of surgery and its relationship to the duration of deprivation is important. Unilateral congenital cataract surgery within 6 weeks of birth produces the best outcomes. The equivalent 'latent' period for bilateral visual deprivation may be longer at around 10 weeks. Visual deprivation has a significant impact on the development of fixation stability. Major form deprivation, even after early surgery, leads to nystagmus. This is mostly manifest latent nystagmus (MLN). The latent period for fixation stability may be as short as 3 weeks. Preoperative congenital nystagmus (CN) can convert to more benign MLN after surgery. Infantile IOL implantation is becoming increasingly accepted. A satisfactory long-term refractive result requires that allowance be made for childhood axial growth and myopic shift. In a series of 25 infants (33 eyes) implanted before 12 months of age, the mean myopic shift at 12 months was 4.83 D. This increased to 5.3 D in infants implanted before 10 weeks. The initial desired refractive outcome following IOL implantation is thus hypermetropia, with the degree dependent on the age of the child. Glaucoma or ocular hypertension is a common complication following paediatric cataract surgery. Microphthalmia and surgery in early infancy are risk factors. Tonometry results may be influenced by the increased corneal thickness seen in aphakic and pseudophakic children. The long-term prognosis of eyes with aphakic glaucoma is not necessarily poor but intraocular pressure control may require three or more medications. Surgical intervention appears to be necessary in over a quarter of eyes. Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is common in infants undergoing primary lens implantation. Primary capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy reduce the risk of PCO. In the absence of anterior vitrectomy, primary posterior capsulotomy does not prevent visual axis opacification. Further developments will continue to be driven by clinical research. The prevention of capsule opacification and cellular proliferation may in future be achieved by the use of devices to specifically target epithelial cells at surgery.

Secondary glaucoma after paediatric cataract surgery

AIM

To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with secondary glaucoma postcongenital cataract surgery.

METHODS

All children diagnosed as having congenital cataracts in a major children's hospital between 1985 and 2005 were included in a retrospective case series. Medical records of 423 eyes among 283 patients who underwent cataract surgery with or without intraocular lens implantation at age </=16 for congenital cataract were reviewed. The main outcome measure was presence or absence of secondary glaucoma and time to glaucoma postsurgery. The following risk factors were evaluated: age at cataract surgery, presence of systemic anomalies, microcornea, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV), primary capsulotomy/anterior vitrectomy, primary intraocular lens implantation, secondary membrane surgery and duration of postoperative observation.

RESULTS

The statistical methods were the use of Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Multivariate Cox hazards regression analysis. The mean follow-up was 6.3 (SD 5.0) years (median 4.6 years; range 0.5 to 20.3 years). Glaucoma developed in 36 of 234 patients (15.4%). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis identified age less than 9 months at time of surgery (RR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3 to 7.7; p = 0.03), microcornea (RR 3.7, 95% CI 2.0 to 7.0; p<0.001), and follow-up time as important predictors of glaucoma. PHPV (RR 1.4, 95% CI 0.7 to 2.7; p = 0.41) and primary posterior capsulotomy/anterior vitrectomy (RR 2.2, 95% CI 0.9 to 5.5; p = 0.17) were not significantly associated with secondary glaucoma in the multivariate model. The mean time to glaucoma after congenital cataract surgery was 4.9 years (range 2 weeks to 16.8 years).

CONCLUSION

Secondary glaucoma is an important sequela in patients who undergo surgery for congenital cataracts. It is imperative that these patients get lifelong surveillance, as glaucoma can occur years after the initial operation.