Changes in axial length growth after congenital cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation in children younger than 5 years

PURPOSE: To study the axial length (AL) changes in children who had unilateral or bilateral congenital cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation when they were younger than 5 years. SETTING: Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom. METHODS: Axial length measurements were obtained preoperatively and at the final follow-up. Axial length values were compared with those in a control group of children without cataract. RESULTS: Congenital cataract surgery and IOL implantation were performed in 18 patients (36 eyes) with bilateral cataract and 18 patients (18 eyes) with unilateral cataract. There was no statistically significant difference in AL growth between the operated eyes and the fellow eyes (P = .12, Wilcoxon signed rank test) or between the final AL in operated eyes and the AL in the age- and sex-matched control group (P = .69, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no statistically significant difference in AL growth between the right eyes of children with bilateral pseudophakia and the operated eyes of children with unilateral pseudophakia (P = .26, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no statistically significant difference between the final AL in the right eyes of children with bilateral pseudophakia and the AL in the age- and sex-matched control group. CONCLUSIONS: No significant retardation or acceleration of axial growth occurred after congenital cataract surgery and IOL implantation. The AL in this group of patients followed a normal pattern, although the difference in AL between operated unilateral cataract eyes and control eyes and between operated unilateral cataract eyes and operated bilateral cataract eyes showed a trend toward significance.