Refractive results of anterior chamber angle-supported and iris-suture-fixated secondary lens implantation

Abstract

Objective: Compare the refractive results of secondary implantation of rigid angle-supported intraocular lenses in the anterior chamber and foldable iris-suture-fixated intraocular lenses in the posterior chamber.

Methods: A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control (historical cohort) study was conducted of 50 patients (50 eyes) with aphakia and inadequate capsular support after cataract surgery, who underwent secondary intraocular lens implantation with two different techniques: angle-supported intraocular lens in the anterior chamber (25 eyes) and foldable iris-suture-fixated intraocular lens in the posterior chamber (25 eyes).

Results: In the group treated with iris-suture-fixated intraocular lens implantation the percentage of patients with 20/40 vision or more was significantly higher (96.0% vs. 60.0%, p= 0.000) in the refractive results obtained for each treatment group. In Group A a predominance was found of emmetropic, followed by myopic patients. In Group B myopic patients prevailed and unlike the other group no patient was hyperopic.

Conclusions: Foldable iris-suture-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses proved more effective, induced less astigmatism and displayed better sphere predictability in a strict range of ± 1.00 diopters.

Key words: Secondary intraocular lens implantation; astigmatism; aphakia.