Changes in the aphakic refraction of children with unilateral congenital cataracts.

Forty-two infants who presented to the Children's Hospital in Boston with unilateral congenital cataracts and had cataract surgery by 6 months of age received serial refractions (N = 369) of their aphakic eyes during the first 4 years of life. The 14 patients followed most intensively (185 refractions) showed a rapid decrease in mean spherical equivalent during the first year of life from +30.75 D to +26.36 D, with a less rapid decrease thereafter (24 months, +23.02 D; 36 months, +21.19 D; 48 months, +20.86 D). The rate of change per month decreased from .43 D between 1 and 6 months, .37 D between 6 and 12 months, .30 D between 12 and 18 months, .24 D between 18 and 24 months, and less than .19 D per month thereafter. This study shows that the refractive error of the aphakic eye of patients treated for unilateral congenital cataracts decreases most rapidly during infancy and less rapidly during the next few years of childhood. This information will be helpful in facilitating the treatment of these infants by allowing an approximation of their future contact lens refractive power changes.