English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Visual rehabilitation of aphakic patients include spectacle correction, contact lenses, and primary or secondary intra ocular lens (IOL) implantation. Spectacles are rarely used nowadays because of limited visual field, aniseikonia and peripheral refractive errors. Contact lenses are other options for correcting aphakia but can cause a lot of corneal complications. Options for correction of aphakic patients with lack of adequate capsular support include anterior chamber IOL (ACIOL), scleral fixated IOL (SFIOL), and iris fixated IOL. Implantation of a retropupillary IC-IOL provides the benefits of a PCIOL, and the duration of the surgery is also less. The retropupillary IC-IOL because of its position lowers the risk of endothelial decompensation is a better option. We wanted to evaluate the functional outcomes of retropupillary iris claw lens implantation. METHODS Secondary implantation of IC-IOL was done in 50 surgical aphakic eyes as a result of intraoperative posterior capsular rent with zonular dialysis (N = 43, 86 %) & large (> 7 clock hours) zonular dehiscence (N = 7, 14 %). Follow up was done on 1 st day, 7th day, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. RESULTS 22 males and 28 females in the age group 40 - 78 years were operated. 78 % eyes (N = 39) had vision better than 6 / 12 while only 10 % eyes (N = 5) had < 6 / 60 vision and the remainder 12 % (N = 6) had vision between 6 / 18 & 6 / 36. Complications like acute postoperative iritis (N = 18, 36 %) pupillary distortion (N = 15, 30 %), pigment clumping (N = 10, 24 %), iris chaffing (N = 9, 21 %), secondary glaucoma (N = 5, 12 %) and IOL decentration (N = 3, 7 %) were seen. The mean difference in central endothelial counts before surgery and 6 months after surgery was 109 cell / mm2 (5.92 %). CONCLUSIONS Iris claw lens gives the dual benefit of good visual acuity and less complication rate in aphakic patients with lack of adequate capsular support. KEYWORDS Retropupillary Iris Claw Lens, Surgical Aphakia, Secondary implantation, Zonular Dialysis, Aneisokonia