ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Oftalmologica 2008 September;50(3):79-82

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

IOL implantation for infantile cataract in Italy: a retrospective study in a seven-year period

Ricci B., Coppola G., Ricci V., Capobianco A.

U.O.C. di Oculistica Complesso Integrato Columbus Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Roma, Italia

Aim. To determine the number of patients aged 0-14 years operated on in Italy for infantile cataracts and the number of primary and secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantations performed from 1999 through 2005.
Methods. Retrospective review of Ministry of Health database for the age groups 0-1, 1-4 and 5-14 years.
Results. During the study period, 3593 operations for infantile cataract were performed, 956 in babies <1 year old, 886 between 1 and 4 years of age, and 1751 in children 5-14 olds. IOL were implanted during 43 of the cataract extraction procedures performed during the first year of life, 85 in children 1-4 years and 288 in the 5-14 year group, with a total number of 416. Secondary IOL implantations were performed on 26 infants <1 year old, on 112 between 1 and 4 years of age, and on 196 children aged 5-14 years.
Conclusion. In all the age groups there was a large discrepancy between the total number of surgical procedures for infantile cataract and the number of IOL implantations. The number of primary and secondary IOL implantation registered in Italian database of Ministry of Health is very low without any type of increase during the seven-year study period.