[Amblyopia and peri-ocular capillary hemangioma of infancy: screening and clinical course before and after surgery].

PURPOSE: The analysis of visual complications provoked by infantile periocular hemangiomas and the understanding of their evolution before and after surgery.

MATERIAL: and methods: A retrospective study including 30 children (31 eyes) who were operated for a periocular hemangioma with a surgical technique with the aid of ultrasonic scalpel Cavitron. Ophthalmological evaluation before and after surgery included: appreciation of the palpebral occlusion, strabismus, ocular motility, objective refraction and amblyopia.

RESULTS: Surgical operation was performed within an average age of 9.5 months. The excision of periocular hemangiomas was effective on the release of the visual axis and on the amblyopia: 51.7% (16 eyes) of palpebral occlusion before surgery against 6.4% (2 eyes) after surgery and 77.4% (24 eyes) of amblyopia before surgery against 38.7% (12 eyes) after surgery. The anisometropia decreased after surgery. The ocular motility and the strabismus also improved.

CONCLUSION: Surgical excision of periocular hemangiomas with the aid of ultrasonic scalpel is an effective technique presenting few complications. This surgery can be suggested early in infancy. It has a very good result in the release of the visual axis and the astigmatism which aided the reeducation of the amblyopia.