Small-aperture IOL a ‘must-have’ technology for cataract surgeons
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NEW YORK — Small-aperture IOLs are an important tool for managing patients with challenging eyes, according to an expert at OSN New York.
Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, said small-aperture IOLs such as the IC-8 (AcuFocus) have the potential to be a game changer for surgeons with an interest in corneal, cataract and refractive surgery.
“This is really bringing everything together into one bucket,” he said.
Although the IC-8 was only recently approved by the FDA, Donnenfeld said that trial results, as well as evidence from Europe, show how useful the lens will be to cataract surgeons.
“I have a waiting list of 50 or 60 patients in my practice who are waiting for this lens because these are the patients that really need this technology,” he said. “This is not a nice-to-have technology. It’s a must-have technology for all those patients who have had corneal transplants, corneal scars, keratoconus or radial keratotomy.”
One of the chief benefits of a small-aperture lens is its refractive forgiveness, Donnenfeld said. Because of the pinhole effect, the lens will correct up to 0.75 D of sphere and 1.5 D of cylinder.
In a European post-market study of 114 patients, Donnenfeld said that patients with even as much as a 1 D deviation from the intended refractive target still had 20/25 vision at distance. The authors also reported that it delivers reliable results in eyes with as much as 1.5 D of corneal astigmatism.
There had been some concerns that the pinhole lens could make it difficult to see the posterior segment and therefore complicate retina surgery. However, Donnenfeld said European colleagues have reported that the view is adequate, and retina surgery in eyes with small-aperture lenses can be easier than in eyes with trifocal lenses.
“This is an exciting lens to have,” Donnenfeld said. “It’s going to be my go-to lens for all those irregular corneas that I have in my practice.”
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Donnenfeld E. Early experience with small aperture IOL. Presented at: OSN New York and OSN New York Retina; Nov. 11-Nov. 13, 2022; New York.
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