Phacoemulsification and primary implantation with bag-in-the-lens intraocular lens in children with unilateral and bilateral cataract

PURPOSE To report outcome in a paediatric cohort with cataract extraction and implantation of bag-in-the-lens intraocular lens (BIL-IOL). METHODS Children younger than 16 years of age subjected to phacoemulsification with primary implantation of BIL-IOL during 2009 through 2013 were analysed retrospectively. Exclusion criteria were uveitis or ≤6 months of follow-up. RESULTS In total, 109 eyes of 84 children were included; 40 unilateral and 44 bilateral cataracts. For all eyes, median age at surgery was 2.5 years (range 2 weeks to 14.1 years) and 16 children (24 eyes) were ≤6 weeks. Coexisting systemic disease was more common in children with bilateral cataract (24 patients, 54.5%) compared to unilateral cataract (6 patients, 15.0%, p