Results of vitrectomy in children.

Though vitrectomy results in the general population are being well established, the results in children particularly of amblyopic age are still largely unknown. This paper details the results in 44 children aged one month to 13 years, of whom 28 were seven years of age or less. The most frequent indication for vitrectomy was penetrating ocular trauma (61%). Of the total 44 cases, 28 (63%) were rendered unilaterally aphakic, 18 of these being less than 7 years old. Improvement in vision occurred in 34 (77%) of the 44 patients, and 10 (23%) remained unchanged. In the 18 children aged one month to seven years who became unilaterally aphakic, 11 (61%) improved and seven (39%) remained unchanged. The management of amblyopia and contact lenses in children is stressed. These results indicate that vitreous surgery plays a significant role in the restoration of vision in children.