Axial elongation following cataract surgery during the first year of life in the infant Aphakia Treatment Study.

PURPOSE: To compare ocular axial elongation in infants after unilateral cataract surgery corrected with a contact lens (CL) or primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

METHODS

Baseline axial length (AL) was measured at the time of cataract surgery (1-6 months) and at age 1 year. AL at baseline and age 1 year and the change in length/mo were analyzed in relation to treatment modality, cataractous versus fellow eye, and age at surgery using linear mixed models.

RESULTS

Mean baseline AL did not differ between the CL and IOL groups for either cataractous or fellow eyes. Eyes with cataracts were shorter than fellow eyes by an average of 0.6 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-0.8 mm; P < 0.0001). For the operated eyes, the mean change in AL/mo was smaller in the CL group (0.17 mm/mo) than in the IOL group (0.24 mm/mo) (P = 0.0006) and was independent of age at surgery (P = 0.19). In contrast, the change in AL/mo for fellow eyes decreased with older age at surgery (P < 0.0001). At age 1 year, operated eyes treated with a CL were 0.6 mm shorter on average than operated eyes treated with an IOL (P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

At baseline, eyes with cataracts were shorter than fellow eyes. The change in AL/mo was smaller in operated eyes treated with a CL than in operated eyes treated with an IOL, but was not significantly related to age at surgery. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00212134.).