Changes in corneal endothelial cells after scleral-fixated intraocular lens surgery in children with congenital ectopia lentis: 2-year follow-up.

Purpose: To investigate the changing patterns of corneal endothelial cells and the associated factors in children with congenital ectopia lentis (CEL) after scleral-fixated intraocular lens (SF IOL) surgery.

Setting: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangzhou, China.

Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: Patients were divided into the surgery group and the control group. Central endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation in cell size, the percentage of hexagonal cells (hexagonality), average cell size (AVG), and central corneal thickness were analyzed for both groups at baseline and each follow-up visit. Clinic characteristic, ocular parameters, IOL decentration, and IOL tilt of patients in the surgery group were collected. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the potential associated factors for the postoperative changes in corneal endothelial cells in the surgery group.

Results: After 2-year follow-up, the decline of ECD was 17.8% (95% CI, -21.8 to -13.9) in the surgery group and -3.1% (95% CI, -5.2 to -1.0) in the control group ( P < .001), while the increase of AVG was 24.3% (17.1-31.6) in the surgery group and 2.7% (1.0 to 4.5) in the control group ( P < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that axial length (AL) ≥24 mm and white-to-white (WTW) <12.2 mm were significantly associated with greater loss of ECD (β = -241.41, 95% CI, -457.91 to -24.91, P = .030 and β = 251.63, 95% CI, 42.10-461.17, P = .020, respectively) and AL ≥24 mm was significantly positively associated with the increase of AVG (β = 34.81, 95% CI, 0.90-68.71, P = .044).

Conclusions: The SF IOL had a significant impact on corneal endothelium in children with CEL. More attention should be paid to monitor postoperative corneal endothelium change during long-term follow-up in CEL children, especially for those with longer AL and smaller WTW.