Aims: To compare optotype acuities and re operation rates in children correct ed with a contact lens (CL) compared with an intraocular lens (IOL) following un ilateral cataract extraction during infancy in a non randomised, retrospective case series. Methods: 25 infants with a unilateral congenital cataract underwent cataract surgery with (IOL group, n=12) or without (CL group, n=13) IOL implant ation when < 7 months of age. Optotype acuities were assessed in 19 of these chi ldren at a mean age of 4.3 years (range 3.3-5.5 years). The number of re opera tions were assessed in 21 children. Results: The visual acuity results were simi lar in the two treatment groups (P=0.99); however, two of the four (50%) childr en in the IOL group compared with two of the seven (28%) children in the CL gro up undergoing surgery during the first 6 weeks of life had 20/40 or better visua l acuity. The children in the IOL group had more re operations than the childre n in the CL group (mean 1.1 v 0.36). Most of the re operations in the IOL group were membranectomies performed during the first year of life (median 8.0 months ) whereas all of the re operations in the CL group were the implantation of a s econdary IOL later in childhood (mean 2.2 years). Conclusion: Optotype acuities were similar for the children corrected with a CL compared with IOL, while the c hildren in the IOL group underwent more reoperations. Aims: To compare optotype acuities and re operation rates in children correct ed with a contact lens (CL) compared with an intraocular lens (IOL) following unilateral cataract extraction during infancy in a non randomized, retrospective case series. Methods: 25 infants with a unilateral congenital cataract underwent cataract surgery with (IOL group, n = 12) or without (CL group, n = 13) IOL implant ation when <7 months of age. Optotype acuities were assessed in 19 of these chi ldren at a mean age The number of re-opera tions were assessed in 21 children. Results: The visual acuity results were simi lar in the two treatment groups (P = 0.99); however, two of the four ( 50%) childr en in the IOL group compared with two of the seven (28%) children in the CL gro up undergoing surgery during the first 6 weeks of life had 20/40 or better visua l acuity. The children in the IOL group had more re operations than the childre n in the CL group (mean 1.1 v 0.36). Mo st of the re operations in the IOL group were membranectomies performed during the first year of life (median 8.0 months) while all of the rects in the CL group were the implantation of as econdary IOL later in childhood (mean 2.2 years). Conclusion : Optotype acuities were similar for the children corrected with a CL compared with IOL, while the c hildren in the IOL group underwent more reoperations.