[Retrospective evaluation of eyes with high progressive myopia in children and youth ten years after Snyder and Thompson's scleroplasty]

Abstract

Purpose: Of the study was, to assess the safety and efficiency of scleral reinforcement after Snyder and Thompson surgery.

Material and methods: The scleroplasty was performed on 129 eyes of 75 children with progressive myopia from 6 to 10 years of age. The control study group included 40 eyes of 25 children with similar age, mean eyeball axial length and refraction. In the control study group scleroplasty was not performed. The main indication criteria for surgery included: severe myopia more than -6.0 D, and the increase in refraction error more than -1.0 D per year. We evaluated the eyeball axial length in all subjects, before time of surgery and ten years after surgery, using Ultrasound Alcon Imaging System. The visual acuity, tonometry, visual field were evaluated as well.

Results: In the study group the mean eyeball axial length measured before surgery was 25.95 mm +/- 0.62 mm. Ten years after surgery the length of the eyeball was 26.97 mm +/- 0.64 mm. The average increase was 1.03 mm +/- 0.29 mm. In the control group, at the time when study group children were operated, the mean eyeball axial length was 25.91 mm +/- 0.48 mm, and ten years later it was 28.06 mm +/- 0.59 mm. The average increase in the eyeball length was 2.13 mm +/- 0.3 mm. There was statistically significant difference between the eyeball axial length progression in the study group and the control group, where surgery was not performed. In the study group no serious complications after surgery were reported.

Conclusions: Scleral reinforcement is an effective and safe surgery, that can stabilize the progression of severe myopia in children.