Outcomes of cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation with and without intracameral triamcinolone in pediatric eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate whether intracameral triamcinolone has an effect on anterior segment inflammation and visual axis obscuration after pediatric cataract surgery with intraocular (IOL) implantation.

Setting: Iladevi Cataract and IOL Research Institute, Ahmedabad, India.

Methods: This retrospective age-matched case-control study comprised consecutive eyes of children having phacoaspiration, posterior capsulectomy, vitrectomy, and IOL implantation. In the study group, eyes received a standardized application of an intracameral preservative-free triamcinolone acetonide suspension intraoperatively. In the control group, age-matched consecutive eyes had surgery with a similar technique but without intracameral preservative-free triamcinolone acetonide. Cell deposits, posterior synechias, visual axis obscuration, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were evaluated 1 month and 12 months postoperatively.

Results: The mean patient age at surgery was 9.15 months +/- 5.04 (SD) in the study group (41 eyes) and 9.34 +/- 5.10 months in the control group (83 eyes) (P = .91). The visual axis was not obscured in any eye in the study group, while 9 eyes (10.8%) in the control group had an obscured axis; the difference between groups was statistically significant (P<.029). Six eyes (7.2%) in the control group required secondary membranectomy with pars plana vitrectomy. There was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in posterior synechias and cell deposits (both P<.033) and no significant difference in preoperative or postoperative IOP (P = .29 and P = .50, respectively).

Conclusion: Pediatric eyes receiving intracameral triamcinolone intraoperatively had significantly less anterior segment inflammation and no visual axis obscuration after cataract surgery with IOL implantation.