Sutureless Intrascleral Intraocular Lens Fixation Research Articles

Background factors determining the time to intraocular lens dislocation.

To clarify the characteristics of intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation requiring IOL suture or intraocular scleral fixation. This retrospective consecutive case series included 21 eyes (21 patients) who required sutured or sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation following IOL extraction owing to IOL dislocation at the outpatient clinic in the Department of Ophthalmology, Saitama Red Cross Hospital, Japan, between January and December 2019. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for background diseases, location of the dislocated IOL (intracapsular/extracapsular), insertion of a capsular tension ring (CTR), and the period from IOL insertion to dislocation. We included 21 eyes of 21 patients who required IOL suture or intrascleral fixation for IOL dislocation at our clinic from January to December 2019 were included. The most common background disease was pseudoexfoliation syndrome (four cases), followed by atopic dermatitis, dysplasia/dehiscence of the zonule, post-retinal detachment surgery, high myopia, and uveitis (three cases each). At the time of dislocation, the IOLs were either intracapsular (16 cases, including 3 cases with CTR insertion) or extracapsular (5 cases). The time from IOL insertion to IOL dislocation was 13.7 ± 8.1years (maximum: 31.3years, minimum: 1.7years). In this study, all 21 cases represented late IOL dislocations occurring after 3months postoperatively. Among these late IOL dislocation cases, IOL dislocation occurred in a short-medium period of time, especially in those with CTR insertion and weakness/dehiscence of the zonule, with an average of 3 to 5years postoperatively. We propose referring to these cases as intermediate-term IOL dislocation.

Efficacy of sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation with the modified Yamane technique

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation with the modified Yamane technique. Methods: It was a retrospective case series study. Patients undergoing sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation with the modified Yamane technique were included at Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2022 to September 2023. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), recorded as the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), were measured before surgery and at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Refractive error and intraocular pressure were also checked. Anterior segment examination with a slit lamp microscope, fundus examination, anterior segment and posterior segment optical coherence tomography were performed. Intraoperative and postoperative ocular complications were documented. Results: A total of 53 patients (53 eyes) were included in this study, comprising 40 males and 13 females, with a median age of 60 (49, 68) years. Among them, the proportion of a history of trauma was 22.6% (12/53). There was 1 eye with intraoperative vitreous hemorrhage (1.9%). All eyes had no obvious hypotony, no obvious inflammation in the anterior chamber, and no pupillary abnormalities at 1 week after surgery. The mean follow-up time was (8.0±3.3) months (range, 3 to 16 months). There was no iris capture, re-dislocation, or haptic exposure of the IOL during the follow-up. The corneal endothelial cell density was (2 236±704) cells/mm2 preoperatively and (1 964±628) cells/mm2 at 1 month, with significant difference (P<0.001). The UCVA (logMAR) was 1.53±0.75 preoperatively, 0.18±0.17 at 1 month, 0.15±0.14 at 3 months, and 0.14±0.13 at the final visit (P<0.001). The UCVA (logMAR) at 1 month was significantly different from that at 3 months and the final visit (both P<0.05). At 1 month, 50.9% (27/53) of the eyes had an UCVA (logMAR)≤0.1, and the rate was 56.6% (30/53) at 3 months. The BCVA (logMAR) was 0.25±0.21, 0.03±0.06, 0.02±0.06, and 0.02±0.06 before surgery, at postoperative1 month, 3 months, and the final visit, respectively (P<0.001). The BCVA (logMAR) at 1 month was not significantly different from that at 3 months and the final visit (both P>0.05). The rate of the eyes with a BCVA (logMAR)≤0 was 81.1% (43/53) at 1 month and 83.0% (44/53) at 3 months. The IOL tilt was (5.18±2.60)° at postoperative 1 month and (5.08±2.48)° at postoperative 3 months, without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The IOL decentration was (0.35±0.24) mm at postoperative 1 month and (0.32±0.24) mm at postoperative 3 months, without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: Sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation with the modified Yamane technique is simpler and more minimally invasive to achieve a stable and centered IOL implantation with fewer complications and good visual prognosis.

Reverse 4-flanged technique for intrascleral fixation of a foldable hydrophobic IOL in the absence of capsular support through a 2.2 mm corneal incision.

The purpose of this study was to describe a modified technique for sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation in in patients without capsular support: the reverse 4-flanged technique. A 2.2 mm corneal incision was made for aphakic patients. The 6-0 polypropylene sutures were threaded through a 30-gauge needle outside the eye. An MDJ® injector was employed to insert the IOL in the eye. A suture-needle snare with 7-0 polypropylene was used to exteriorize the superior end of the sutures through the sclerotomy. The 6-0 polypropylene was heated with a cautery to create the flanges. Nine eyes of nine patients underwent the reverse 4-flanged technique. The median follow-up time was 182 days (range 174 - 195). Best corrected distance visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 20/400 [hand movement - 20/33] to 20/120 [20/400-20/21]. No vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, IOL luxation or flange exposure was recorded during the follow-up. The reverse 4-flanged technique maintains the advantages of the original 4-flanged technique in terms of IOL stability while reducing the incision size and surgical manoeuvres performed inside the eye. This modification promises to be a reliable, safe and relatively simple technique to correct aphakia in the absence of capsular support.

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF SUTURELESS INTRASCLERAL INTRAOCULAR LENS FIXATION IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS: Single-Surgeon Case Series With and Without Haptic Flanging With Up to 11 Years of Follow-Up.

Report and compare long-term outcomes and complications of sutureless scleral tunnel (SST) and flanged haptic (FH) scleral-fixated intraocular lens, with spontaneous intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation as primary outcome measure. Retrospective single-surgeon case series of 95 SST and 458 FH eyes from 2011 to 2022 (553 total eyes). Demographics, surgical indications, ocular history, visual acuity, and complication rates were collected. Reoperation-requiring spontaneous IOL dislocation rate was significantly different ( P = 0.0167) between FH (3.7%) and SST (10.5%). Mean follow-up was 3.31 ± 0.30 versus 1.58 ± 0.07 years for SST and FH, respectively. There was no significant difference between preoperative (20/305 vs. 20/300) or final postoperative (20/77 vs. 20/62) visual acuity. Other complications included any cystoid macular edema (20.0% vs. 25.3%), elevated intraocular pressure (16.8% vs. 9.6%), IOL tilt requiring reoperation (5.3 vs. 0%), haptic exposure (2.1% vs. 3.3%), and reverse pupillary block (4.2% vs. 1.1%). Haptic flanging resulted in fewer eyes meeting the primary end point of IOL dislocation. We reported the longest-to-date follow-up of both nonflanged SST IOL fixation and our FH-modified Yamane technique. Our FH-modified Yamane technique represents a safe, durable, and potentially superior option for scleral-fixated intraocular lens.

Management of complications of sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation.

The purpose of the study was to report the complications of sutureless intrascleral (SIS) intraocular lens (IOL) fixation and its management. A multicenter, retrospective, consecutive interventional case series of patients with intra or postoperative complications after SIS IOL fixation during the technical learning curve of vitreoretinal surgeons from three Taiwanese referral hospitals. The used surgical techniques were the Scharioth technique for intrascleral tunnel fixation, Yamane technique (double-needle scleral fixation), and modified Yamane technique (double-needle flanged haptic scleral fixation). The IOL models and surgical instruments used as well as each patient's ocular characteristics and complication management were recorded. Of the eight included patients, the complications of 3 (37.5%) and 5 (62.5%) were noted intraoperatively and postoperatively, respectively. Haptic-related complications, including haptic breakage, slippage, and haptic disinsertion, occurred in six eyes. Other complications included uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema syndrome, retinal detachment, and IOL tilt. For the two patients with haptic slippage, repositioning was achieved using a modified cow-hitch technique that resulted in favorable IOL centration and restored visual acuity. Most complications surgeons encountered during their early exposure to SIS IOL fixation were haptic related. Surgeons should be aware of such complications to prevent and manage them during surgery. Our modified cow-hitch technique could be used to reposition IOLs with unilateral haptic slippage.

Comparison of sutureless intrascleral fixation and sutured scleral fixation for the treatment of dislocated intraocular lenses

BackgroundTo compare the outcomes of sutured transscleral fixation and sutureless intrascleral fixation for the treatment of a dislocated intraocular lens (IOL).MethodsThirty-five eyes of 35 patients who required IOL repositioning surgery due to IOL dislocation were included in this retrospective study. Sixteen eyes underwent two-point sutured transscleral fixation, eight eyes underwent one-point sutured transscleral fixation, and 11 eyes underwent sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation. The patients were followed for ≥ 12 months after repositioning surgery, and their postoperative outcomes were recorded and analyzed.ResultsThe major cause of IOL dislocation was ocular blunt trauma (19/35, 54.3%). The mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved significantly after IOL repositioning (P = 0.022). The mean postoperative change in endothelial cell density (ECD) was − 4.5%. There were no significant differences in the changes in CDVA or ECD among the three groups with different repositioning techniques (both P > 0.1). The mean vertical tilt of the IOLs in all enrolled patients was significantly greater than the horizontal value (P = 0.001). The vertical tilt was greater in the two-point scleral fixation group than that in the sutureless intrascleral fixation group (P = 0.048). The mean decentration values in the one-point scleral fixation group in the horizontal and vertical directions were greater than those in the other two groups (all P < 0.01).ConclusionAll three IOL repositioning techniques resulted in favorable ocular prognosis.

Scleral pockets for an innovative technique of intrascleral fixation of intraocular lens.

The aim of this article is to report the results of an innovative technique for a scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens using our new modified technique. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15 eyes of 15 patients who underwent sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation using our modified technique. We used a 23-gauge knife to perform sclerotomy and create two parallel scleral pockets for the haptics. The mean follow-up period was 3 years (3 ± 1). No complications were detected during the follow-up period. The creation of two parallel scleral pockets, parallel to the limbus, greatly simplifies the introduction of intraocular lens haptics.

Evaluation of Flanged Haptics Intrascleral Sutureless Intraocular Lens Fixation

Background: successful intraocular lens (IOL) placement in patients undergoing cataract surgery has become synonymous with the IOL being placed in the capsular bag. Purpose: to evaluate the flanged haptic sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation with double needle technique as a method of scleral fixation of posterior chamber IOL (PCIOL) as regard to its stability and safety as well as its complications. Patients and Methods: this is a prospective study, which included 20 eyes of 20 patients with aphakia with no adequate capsular support. Results: post-operatively the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was improved to reach up to 0.8 decimal unit. Intra-operatively, haptic breakage was reported in 3 cases where the IOLs were explanted and new IOLs were implanted and sclerally fixated. The post-operative complications included iris capture in 2 cases (10%), haptic deformation in 2 cases (10%), exposure in 5 cases (25%) and slippage in 2 cases (10%), corneal edema in 6 cases (30%), IOL decentration in 4 cases (20%) one of them was significantly decentered and needed for reoperation where one point fixation by a stitch of the slipped haptic , spontaneous IOL dislocation in 2 cases (10%) 1 month and 3 months post-operatively, both required re operation where the slipped IOL was explanted and new one is re implanted and sclerally fixated. There were no incidents of post-operative ciliary body injury, retinal tear or detachment or endophthalmitis. Conclusions: the flanged haptics intrascleral sutureless IOL fixation with double needle technique can be done for aphakic cases with no adequate capsular support.

Endophthalmitis Following Exposure of a Haptic After Sutureless Intrascleral Intraocular Lens Fixation

An 88-year-old woman who had undergone sutureless intrascleral fixation of the intraocular lens (IOL) 3 years previously was seen at an eye clinic because of ocular pain and loss of vision 2 days prior to this visit. She was diagnosed with endophthalmitis and referred to our hospital. At her first presentation here, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.01 in the left eye, and conjunctival hyperemia and hypopyon were apparent. A haptic was exposed outside the conjunctiva at the nasal upper quadrant, with a white substance around the haptic. The fundus was not visible. We diagnosed endophthalmitis. That same day, we performed vitrectomy and IOL removal, immediately followed by intravitreal injection of antibiotic. The inflammation resolved gradually, and at the 1-year follow-up her BCVA had recovered to 0.6. Patients should receive careful, long-term follow-up after sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation.

Efficacy of modified sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of modified sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation. Methods Thirty-five eyes of 35 cases of aphakic eyes without enough capsule for IOL supporting were selected. All cases underwent modified sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation by double needle directly through the conjunctival sclera. The patients were followed up for 6-12 months. Results The operation was successful in all cases. The difference of best corrected visual acuity was significant between before and after operation (P 0.05). The uncorrected visual acuity≥0.5 at 2 weeks after operation was in 33 cases (94.3%). Intraocular lens pupil capture occurred in 2 cases(5.7%), the IOLs were returned after mydriasis. Vitreous hemorrhage absorbed in 1 case (2.8%) 6 days after surgery. The cystoid macular edema faded in 1 case (2.8%) 10 days after surgery. No intraocular len displacement, intraocular len loop exposure, severe uveal reaction, secondary glaucoma, corneal decompensation, retinal detachment or explosive choroidal hemorrhage occurred. Conclusion Modified sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation is a simple, minimally invasive, safe and effective method. Key words: Lens, intraocular; Fixation, intrascleral, sutureless, modified

Intraocular Lens Repositioning With Polypropylene Suture to Reduce Optic Tilt

Purpose: To describe a technique to reduce intraocular lens (IOL) tilt after sutureless intrascleral (SIS) fixation. Methods: Case report with review of surgical technique. Results: We report a technique that can be used to correct IOL tilt that may rarely accompany SIS IOL fixation. The procedure involves placing pupil-spanning polypropylene sutures on either side of the IOL optic to keep the optic parallel to the plane of the iris. Conclusion: Sutureless intrascleral IOL tilt correction can be achieved using polypropylene suture, thus obviating the need for more invasive surgical maneuvers, such as IOL exchange.

Sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation with lamellar dissection of scleral tunnel.

PurposeTo report the results of sutureless scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) by using our developed simple technique.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 48 eyes of 47 patients who underwent sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation by using our modified technique. A 25-gauge microvitreoretinal knife was used to perform sclerotomies and create limbus-parallel scleral tunnels with lamellar dissection in which the haptics were fixed.ResultsThe IOLs were fixed and centered well. The mean follow-up period was 26.7 months. Postoperative complications included smooth vitreous hemorrhage in four eyes (8.3%), cystoid macular edema in two eyes (4.2%), and iris capture of the IOL in two eyes (4.2%). No other complications, such as breakage of the IOL, spontaneous IOL dislocation, or retinal detachment, were detected during the follow-up period.ConclusionThe lamellar dissection of the limbus-parallel scleral tunnel can simplify the forceps-assisted introduction of the haptics into the scleral tunnel, and this technique seemed to be safe.