Purpose: To assess the predictability of postoperative refraction using the Holladay II-formula in paediatric patients randomized to undergo 2 different surgical procedures.
Methods: Fourty cataractous eyes of 29 patients (age 2.31-11.75 years) were operated with in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation. Randomly, either an anterior vitrectomy (group A, 19 eyes) or posterior optic capture without vitrectomy (group B, 21 eyes) was performed. Randomization was done in 4 separate age groups, in accordance with 4 target refractions (0, 1, 2 and 3 dpt) to compensate for the anticipated myopic shift.
Results: The predicted refraction correlated with the achieved postoperative refraction (total group, p = 0.019), closer in group A (p = 0.033) than in group B (p = 0.265); however, the results of groups A and B were not significantly different (p = 0.324). There was a tendency for postoperative targeted hyperopia being underachieved in the youngest patients.
Conclusion: The Holladay II formula provides reliable intraocular lens calculation in paediatric cataracts. The tendency to underachieve the target refraction in younger patients needs further investigation.
Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.