The change in axial length in the pseudophakic eye compared to the unoperated fellow eye in children with bilateral cataracts.

PURPOSE To compare the change in ocular axial length of the pseudophakic eye versus the fellow eye in children with bilateral cataracts who had surgery in only one eye. METHODS In this prospective cohort study, 50 eyes of 25 children with bilateral lamellar cataracts were analyzed. A complete ophthalmic examination and evaluation of axial length measurements by contact ultrasound biometry were performed in all eyes undergoing cataract surgery with IOL implantation and in contralateral eyes. The primary outcome measure was the percentage rate of growth between the final and initial measurements, defined as the initial minus the final measurement, with the difference being divided by the initial measurement and the result multiplied by 100. RESULTS Children aged 4-10 years of age were followed for a mean of 28.5 months. The values for axial length percentage rate of growth were significantly lower in pseudophakic eyes than in the unoperated, contralateral eyes (0.64% vs 2.09%, P < 0.05). Final visual acuity, follow-up time, and initial axial length did not affect the results. Pseudophakic eyes with posterior capsule opacification that underwent neodymium YAG laser showed a significantly higher rate of growth than unoperated eyes. CONCLUSIONS Axial length in children older than 4 years showed a trend toward stabilization, with lower changes in axial length measurements in pseudophakic eyes and a higher rate of axial growth in contralateral eyes.