The surgical management of nontraumatic ectopic lenses

We report the results of limbal lensectomy for ectopia lentis in 50 eyes of 30 children over a period of 7 years. The reasons for surgery were poor visual acuity in 47 eyes and dislocation of the lens into the anterior chamber in three. Best-corrected visual acuity improved in all except two patients, both of whom had glaucoma: in one (with an unusual syndrome), a vitreous hemorrhage occurred that resulted in light-perception-only vision; in the other, a persistent uveitis developed that eventually required secondary vitrectomy. Visual acuity was unchanged in two patients. Peaked pupil occurred in seven. We conclude that, unless there are associated ocular diseases, limbal lensectomy in childhood ectopia lentis effectively improves visual acuity with few complications.