Long-term Lens Complications Following Removal of Persistent Pupillary Membrane

PURPOSE: We evaluated the long-term surgical outcome and lens complications in children with persistent pupillary membrane following removal using vitreous scissors. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with persistent pupillary membrane who received surgical treatment from 1987 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The removal was performed using vitreous scissors after instillation of miotics. The minimum follow-up period after surgery was four years. Factors of age, sex, visual acuity, refractive errors, and complications during or after surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 32 eyes of 26 patients were included. The mean age at the initial visit was 22.6 ± 34.7 (range, 0.9 to 141.2) months, and the mean age at surgery was 43.7 ± 36.0 (range, 1.0 to 142.5) months. There were no intraoperative complications using vitreous scissors, and all lesions were completely removed. After a mean follow-up period of 6.5 ± 3.3 (range, 4.0 to 14.8) years, the best corrected visual acuity at the final visit was 0.6 ± 0.9 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, and two eyes (6.3%) presented with lens opacity during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In children with persistent pupillary membrane, there were no intraoperative complications, and only two patients presented with lens change during the long-term postoperative follow-up period. Surgical removal should be considered a safe and effective treatment for patients with visually significant persistent pupillary membrane.