One-year follow-up of bag-in-the-lens intraocular lens implantation in 60 eyes

Abstract

To report the feasibility and clinical results of implanting a bag-in-the-lens intraocular lens (IOL) designed to prevent posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery. Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, and University of Munich, Munich, Germany. This prospective study comprised 63 eyes (55 patients; 7 children, 48 adults) scheduled for cataract surgery and bag-in-the-lens IOL implantation. A posterior curvilinear capsulorhexis the same size as the anterior capsulorhexis was created for IOL insertion. After surgery, lens epithelial cell (LEC) proliferation was documented every 6 months with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Sixty of 63 eyes (95%) had implantation of the bag-in-the-lens IOL. Conversion to a conventional IOL was necessary in 2 cases. In 1 eye, postoperative luxation of the IOL into the vitreous occurred as a result of an oversized anterior and posterior capsulorhexis. Three eyes had early postoperative iris incarceration in the lens groove that required surgery. No LEC proliferation on the optic occurred during a mean follow-up of 22.7 months (range 12 to 64 months); LEC proliferation was confined to the peripheral capsular bag. Lens epithelial cell proliferation was mild and confined to the periphery of the capsular bag during follow-up, and the bag-in-the-lens IOL optic remained clear.