Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of flattened flanged intrascleral fixation of the intraocular lens (IOL) in cases of pediatric aphakia without adequate capsular support.

Methods: The medical records of children who underwent flattened flanged intrascleral IOL implantation for aphakia with insufficient capsular support, subluxated cataract, ectopia lentis, and dislocated IOL were reviewed retrospectively. Best-corrected visual acuity, astigmatism, corneal endothelial cell loss, IOL tilt, and intra- and postoperative complications were evaluated.

Results: A total of 21 eyes of 16 patients were included. Mean patient age at time of surgery was 7.1 ± 3.8 years (range, 2-15). Mean follow-up time after surgery was 2.0 years. The mean pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities were 1.03 ± 0.49 logMAR and 0.33 ±0.44 logMAR, respectively (P < 0.001). The mean preoperative astigmatism was 2.2 ± 0.9 D; and the mean postoperative astigmatism, 1.8 ± 0.8 D. The mean IOL tilt was 3.2° ± 3.1° (range, 0°-10°). The mean endothelial loss was 4.8%. Postoperatively, one of the haptics was partially visible in the scleral tunnel in one eye of a patient with Marfan syndrome.

Conclusions: In our study cohort, the flattened flanged IOL fixation technique provided good IOL fixation, with firm haptic fixation, without use of sutures or glue.