Malisa Ami1,2, Samantha Simkin1, Thiyagaraj Krishnan1, Shuan Dai1,3

Purpose: Paediatric cataract is a significant cause of visual disability. Early detection and timely surgical intervention and optimal optical correction is critical to maximise visual potential. This study reports the results of paediatric cataract outcomes in Auckland, New Zealand.
Methods: All cases of paediatric cataract surgery (≤16 years old) from 2004 until 2015 were reviewed. Data collected included patient demographics, opti- cal correction; intraocular lens (IOL) vs aphakia with correction, and final visual acuity. A sub-group of children ≤3 years old with primary congenital cat- aract were further analysed.
Results: Cataract extraction from a total of 165 eyes of 113 patients were eligible. Aetiologies included congenital cataract, lens subluxation and trauma. Bilateral cataract surgery occurred in 104 eyes (63%), with a ratio 1:1 of IOL to aphakia. Of the unilateral cataracts 40 received IOLs. Visual acuity
≤6/12 was achieved in 59.1% of infants with IOL, and 12.8% of those with aphakic correction. Five eyes left aphakic had vision worse than count fin- gers, while no eyes with an IOL had vision this poor. The sub-group contained 74 eyes, 35 of whom had an IOL inserted and 39 aphakic correction. Visual acuity ≤6/12 was achieved in 57.1% with IOL, and 25.6% with aphakia. No difference in intra- or post-operative complications was present between these two groups.
Conclusion: Paediatric cataract requires both surgi- cal and optical intervention. Visual acuity outcomes in our ten year review indicate that children cor- rected by IOL had improved visual outcome com- pared to children who were aphakic.