AIM: To investigate the effect of surgical time on the development of visual refraction in children with congenital entropion and trichiasis.

METHODS: This was a prospective interventional study. Fifty nine eyes of 30 patients aged from 2 to 12 years old who suffered congenital lower eyelid entropion with trichiasis were divided into three groups according to the age. Improvement in binocular vision, refractive error, retinography astigmatism and cornea astigmatism by topography were analyzed. All patients were followed up for a period of 6 to 12mo.

RESULTS: There were no significant complications of overcorrection, undercorrection or eyelid deformity. The postoperative corneal astigmatism(CC)was significantly improved in three groups(P<0.05). retinography astigmatism(RC)and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)were significantly improved in low-aged and middle-aged groups(P<0.05). The proportion of astigmatism with the rule and amblyopia was larger in middle-aged group. The postoperative CC, RC and BCVA was not statistically different in high-aged group(P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Children with congenital entropion and trichiasis should be corrected surgically before 6 years old. The incidence of astigmatism with the rule and amblyopia is higher in 4 to 6 aged children and should be corrected earlier.