Original papers Binocular vision in children with unilateral traumatic aphakia

Twelve consecutive children under the age of ten years who were referred to the authors' hospital between 1990 and 1993 with a combined perforating injury of the cornea and the lens were treated as follows: lensectomy, corneal suture (in 11 of them) and, shortly after surgery, correction of the refractive error with a contact lens and a bifocal glass. The other eye was occluded only if there was a manifest strabismus and if binocular single vision appeared unattainable. In nine children visual acuity was ≥ 20/ 40, eight children had orthotropia with binocular single vision. Compared with other reports in the literature the percentage of children with orthotropia and binocular single vision was high. The authors suggest that two factors explain the favourable results: (I) early correction of the refractive error for far and near vision and (2) restriction of occlusion therapy to cases with a manifest strabismus.