Visual acuity outcomes after phakic IOL explantation better with regular follow-up
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Key takeaways:
- Phakic IOL explantation is a safe procedure that can lead to good functional outcomes with proper follow-up.
- Advantages of these IOLs include reversibility and preservation of corneal integrity.
VILAMOURA, Portugal — Phakic IOL explantation is a safe procedure that can lead to good functional outcomes, provided patients have been followed up regularly with one visit per year to measure endothelial cell count, according to a study.
“Phakic IOLs have several advantages: Corneal integrity is preserved, accommodation is maintained, and they are a reversible procedure with low risk of retinal detachment. However, they should be periodically monitored for potential complications,” Sofia Teixeira, MD, said at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting.
In a study, the causes and the outcomes of phakic IOL explantation were evaluated in a group of 23 eyes of 14 patients who underwent the procedure between 2018 and 2022 at the Centro Hospitalar Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Portugal. The mean age of the patients at the time of explantation was 46 years, and the mean duration of the implant was 12 years. Sixteen eyes were implanted with an Artisan lens and seven with an Artiflex (both Ophtec). The main indication for explantation was endothelial cell loss, which occurred in 14 eyes (61%).
“The average reduction of endothelial cell count was more than 70%. However, we need to point out that almost 80% of these cases were lost to follow-up for more than 5 years, and most of them were not implanted in our hospital,” Teixeira said.
Irregular follow-up also affected the final visual outcomes. Best corrected visual acuity after explantation was 20/25 in the six eyes of patients who had regular visits with endothelial cell count measurement, 20/40 in the nine cases with partial loss of follow-up and 20/100 in the three cases of total loss to follow-up.
“Ophthalmologic follow-up with annual [endothelial cell count] was associated, even in cases of misfit requiring lens explantation, with significantly better final visual prognosis,” Teixeira said.
Collapse
Teixeira S, et al. Undo the past solution — A case series on phakic intraocular lens explantation. Presented at: European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting; March 10-12, 2023; Vilamoura, Portugal.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts