The ophthalmology team at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong has undertaken the world's first real-world prospective cohort study on congenital cataracts, providing significant references for global pediatric cataract treatment strategies.

Recently, the research findings, titled "Visual Acuity and Complications at Age 7 Years Following Bilateral Secondary Intraocular Lens Implantation at 2 to Younger than 6 Years for Pediatric Aphakia," were published in JAMA Ophthalmology, a leading international journal in the field.

The research was conducted by a team led by Professor Weirong Chen. This study systematically evaluated the long-term visual acuity and complication outcomes in children with bilateral congenital cataracts who underwent secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at different ages, offering crucial evidence-based guidance for the timing of surgical interventions.

Complications and secondary surgical interventions

A total of 158 children were included in the study and categorized into four groups based on their age at the time of secondary IOL implantation: 2-3 years, 3-4 years, 4-5 years, and 5-6 years. The children were followed until the age of 7.

The study results indicated no statistically significant differences in best-corrected visual acuity among the different age groups at age 7, suggesting that similar levels of visual recovery could be achieved with IOL implantation within the 2-to-6-year age range.

LogMAR visual acuity at age 7 according to age at secondary IOL Surgery

However, the incidence of glaucoma-related adverse events increased with the age at surgery, rising from 8.8% in the 2-3-year-old group to 22.6% in the 5-6-year-old group. This finding underscores the potential risk of increased glaucoma incidence with delayed IOL implantation, highlighting the need for clinical vigilance.

This study elucidates the relationship between the timing of secondary IOL implantation and visual acuity outcomes, as well as complications. It emphasizes the importance of considering both visual function development and the risk of glaucoma-related complications when determining the optimal timing for surgical interventions.

Link to the report: https://gdtoday.newsgd.com/post/?k=4b97442250