Zoi Drakou, Stratos Gotzaridis, Agathi Kouri, Eirini Maliagkani
Management of pediatric aphakia without capsular support remains challenging, particularly following ocular trauma. Long-term outcomes of sutureless scleral fixation of the Carlevale intraocular lens (IOL) in children remain limited. We present the surgical management and five-year follow-up of a child with traumatic aphakia treated with a Carlevale IOL. An eight-year-old boy sustained a penetrating ocular injury caused by a knife, resulting in a full-thickness corneal laceration, traumatic cataract, and inadequate capsular support. Following primary corneal repair and lens removal elsewhere, the patient was referred to our clinic. A 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and sutureless scleral fixation of a Carlevale IOL were performed. At the five-year follow-up examination, the IOL remained well centered without tilt, haptic erosion, or significant inflammatory complications. Visual acuity improved progressively, reaching 0.0 LogMAR without refractive correction at the final examination. This case demonstrates a favorable anatomical and visual outcome at five years following sutureless scleral fixation of a Carlevale IOL in a child with traumatic aphakia and inadequate capsular support. The IOL remained stable at the five-year examination, with excellent uncorrected visual acuity and a favorable refractive outcome. This case suggests a potential role for the Carlevale IOL in the management of pediatric traumatic aphakia.