The Growth of the Eye in Pediatric Aphakia:Reports of Echobiometry During the First Year of Life

Abstract

In this prospective study the authors have evaluated with echobiometrythe growth of axial length in 22 eyes of 11 babies (Group 1) whounderwent extracapsular surgical procedures for congenital bilateral cataractswithin the third month of life. Group 1 was divided into two subgroups:subgroup 1A of 12 eyes of 6 patients with axial length ≥17.50 mm andsubgroup 1B of 10 eyes of 5 patients with axial length <17.50 mm beforethe surgery (third month of life). Group 2 consisted of 20 eyes of 10 normalbabies, matched for age and sex with Group 1. The data gathered have beenstatistically analysed (Wilcoxon test and Analysis of Variance). At the end offollow-up (twelve months of age) there was no significant statistical differencebetween subgroup 1A and control group (p > 0.5). However we found thatthere was a significant statistical difference between subgroup 1B and theother two groups (p <0.01). We conclude that even if the aphakic eye isshorter than the phakic eye at the end of the follow-up (twelve months ofage), extracapsular surgery for congenital cataracts does not influence eyegrowth during the first year of life.