The use of contact lenses in children with unilateral traumatic aphakia.

Seveteen children under the age of ten years with unilateral traumatic aphakia, who had been fitted with contact lenses, were reviewed by an ophthalmologist and an orthoptist, on average three years after the injury. Thirteen children were still using their lenses. Of the seventeen, none were deeply amblyopic. Only one had orthophoria. Twelve of the seventeen had heterotropia, which in most cases was moderate. Six of the children achieved stereopsis in the synoptophore, only four by the Titmus sterotest, all of these were six years old or more at the time of the injury, and had had lenses fitted within the first six months of the injury. All the patients, as well as their parents, were motivated for lens-wearing, and the lens played an important part in the treatment of amblyopia. It is concluded that the sooner the contact lens is supplied, the better are the changes of obtaining binocular function. Beginning with a soft lens a few weeks after achieving clear pupil is recommended.