Comparison of posterior optic capture of intraocular lens without vitrectomy vs endocapsular implantation with anterior vitrectomy in congenital cataract surgery: A randomized prospective study

Purpose: To compare surgical outcome of two procedures in pediatric cataract surgery. Methods: Prospective randomised interventional study. Consecutive patients with bilateral congenital cataract who were operated during January 2016 to October 2016 at a tertiary care referral institute were included. One eye of all patients underwent Intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with optic capture through a primary posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PPC) without vitrectomy while in the other eye endocapsular IOL implantation was performed along with PPC and anterior vitrectomy. Intraoperative challenges and postoperative complications were noted. Results: 15/18 children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included for follow up analysis. Mean age at the time of surgery was 21 +/- 14.7 months. At a mean follow up of 25.69 +/- 1.06 months; all eyes in both groups maintained a clinically centred IOL with clear visual axis. One patient with endocapsular IOL implantation developed anterior capsular phimosis. The rate of fibrinous complications (IOL deposits and synechiae) were more in the eyes with IOL in the bag (6 eyes) vs eyes where posterior optic capture was done (1 eye); P = 0.039. Conclusion: Posterior optic capture is a safer alternative to conventional pediatric cataract surgery in terms of inflammatory sequelae and lens epithelial cell proliferation. However the two methods work equally well in preventing visual axis obscuration over a long follow-up.