Infants With Cataracts Prove Be Challenging Problem

Intraocular lenses are often used to treat infants who have congenital cataracts. A recent study in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery indicates that the intraocular lenses may not be superior to treatment with contact lenses. In fact, infants who received the intraocular lenses experienced more complications but achieved the same visual acuity as their contact lens counterparts. Contacts lenses are the standard method of treatment in many cases but they can be challenging to use in infants due to problems inserting them by parents, and problems fitting the steep corneas of infants. The study showed that 28% of babies who received the intraocular lens compared to 11% of babies who had received contact lenses experienced complications. After one year, babies in each study group had the same visual acuity results. However, it is not known what the long-term benefits of intraocular lenses might be and this warrants further evaluation. Researchers emphasize the need for practitioners to carefully evaluate each method of treatment before deciding on the best course of action.* Andrea Schumann Staff Writer