Clinical outcomes and complications of intraocular lens exchange in patients with opacified hydrophilic acrylic lenses SC600-2.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to present the outcomes of intraocular lens exchange in patients with opacified hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses. Fifteen patients, who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification and hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (model SC600-2) implantation with good visual recovery, were re-referred to our department 76 - 188 weeks post-surgery due to progressive visual loss resulting from opacification of the implant. Intraocular lens exchange followed. The method of lens exchange is described. The effect on the best corrected visual acuity and on their refraction, the operative and postoperative complications are reported. All 15 patients underwent intraocular lens exchange. Twelve patients (80 %) had improvement of their best corrected visual acuity, in two cases (13 %) the best corrected visual acuity did not change, and in one case (7 %) the best corrected visual acuity deteriorated, this being attributed to progression of her age-related macular degeneration. None of the patients developed zonular dehiscence; in one patient the exchange was complicated with posterior capsule rupture, and an anterior chamber intraocular lens was implanted. One patient required cutting of the haptics before removal of the opacified intraocular lens. The mean Snellen (decimal) visual acuity was 0.35 (range 0.1 to 0.6) before lens exchange and 0.49 (range 0.1 to 0.6) six weeks after; the difference was significant (P < 0.05). Excluding the patient with the deterioration of her age-related macular degeneration, mean visual acuity of the remaining fourteen patients after the intraocular lens exchange was even better (0.56). Exchange of opacified hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses seems to be the only currently available effective treatment, leading to improvement of visual acuity.