Intraoperative Versus Postoperative Vault Measurement After Implantable Collamer Lens Implantation in a Large Cohort of Patients

Ten-year follow-up of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens with central port design in patients with low and normal vault

PURPOSE

To assess the clinical outcomes and postoperative complications of the implantable collamer lens (ICL) with a central port throughout 10 years of follow-up in patients with low and normal vault.

SETTING

Fernández-Vega Ophthalmological Institute, Oviedo, Spain.

DESIGN

Retrospective and comparative case series.

METHODS

This study included eyes that underwent a V4c ICL implantation with 10 years of follow-up. The eyes were divided into 2 groups according to the vault at 1 year postoperatively: vault <250 μm and between 250 μm and 800 μm. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), endothelial cell density (ECD), vault, complications, and secondary surgeries were analyzed.

RESULTS

37 and 90 eyes were enrolled in the low and normal-vault groups, respectively. No differences in UDVA, CDVA, and refraction were found between the groups over 10 years of follow-up. No cases developed ICL-induced anterior subcapsular opacity over the follow-up period. 2 (5.4%) and 8 (8.9%) eyes in the low and normal-vault groups, respectively, required ICL exchange. 1 (2.8%) and 2 (2.2%) eyes in the low and normal-vault groups, respectively, required excimer laser to correct residual refractive error. The IOP remained stable throughout the 10-year follow-up. The loss in ECD from that preoperatively to 10 years postoperatively was 3.8% and 4.5% in the low and normal-vault groups, respectively ( P = .4). No pigment dispersion glaucoma or other vision-threatening complications were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows good long-term outcomes of the V4c ICL, supporting that the central hole provides safety to the procedure and prevents the potential risk associated with low vault.

A review of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lenses

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Posterior chamber phakic intraocular lenses (pIOLs) are increasing in popularity as a viable alternative to laser refractive surgery. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the recent updates to pIOLs and to assess the advancements and safety of the procedure.

RECENT FINDINGS

Accurate lens sizing is the key determinant to suitable vault prediction, advancements to sizing formulae including the use of very high frequency (VHF) digital ultrasound and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning has led to improved vault prediction and safety. The introduction of the central aquaport has been shown to reduce the formation of cataract and is now adopted in most myopic pIOLs. Recently published studies have demonstrated that pIOLs have an excellent safety profile with no increased risk of retinal detachment or endothelial cell loss. Advancements have led to the introduction of extended depth of focus pIOLs for the correction of presbyopia, further research is required to evaluate the efficacy of new lens designs.

SUMMARY

pIOL surgery is experiencing traction with improved lens design and increased lenses choices such as larger optical zone and presbyopic options. Accuracy of implantable collamer lens sizing is paramount to the safety and clinical outcomes, greater predictability is likely to encourage more posterior chamber pIOL users due to fewer sizing related complications.

The rate of vault changes after ICL V4c implantation and its correlation with anterior segment parameters

Purpose

To investigate the rate of vault changes after implantation of ICL V4c and the correlation with anterior segment parameters.

Methods

A total of 64 eyes were studied from the 37 myopic subjects recruited. CASIA2 was used to record the vault at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after the operation as well as the preoperative anterior segment parameters including pupil diameter, lens vault, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber width, iris area (IA), iris thickness, angle opening distance, angle recess area, trabecular iris space area, and trabecular iris angle. The rates of vault change in different time intervals were compared and the correlations between the rates and anterior segment parameters were analyzed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The rate of vault decrease was -19.53 ± 111.28 μm/month between 1 week and 1 month, -19.90 ± 29.71 μm/month between 1 month and 3 months and -4.25 ± 18.10 μm/month between 3 months and 6 months; hence the rate was shown to slow down significantly from 3 months post-operation (P = 0.024). The average rate of vault changes showed a significant positive correlation with IA (R2 = 0.140, F = 4.980, P = 0.01). No significant correlation was found with other anterior segment parameters (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The rate of decreasing vault significantly slowed down from 3 months post-operation. A larger IA may imply a lower decreasing rate of vault change.

Diagnostic Techniques to Increase the Safety of Phakic Intraocular Lenses

Preoperative and postoperative diagnostics play an important role in ensuring the safety of patients with phakic intraocular lenses (pIOLs). The risk of endothelial cell loss can be addressed by regularly measuring the endothelial cell density using specular microscopy and considering the endothelial cell loss rate and the endothelial reserve in accordance with the patient's age when deciding whether to explant a pIOL. The anterior chamber morphometrics, including the anterior chamber depth and the distance between the pIOL and the endothelium, measured using Scheimpflug tomography and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), can help to assess the risk of the endothelial cell loss. In patients undergoing posterior chamber pIOL implantation, accurate prediction of the vault and its postoperative measurements using AS-OCT or Scheimpflug tomography are important when assessing the risk of anterior subcapsular cataract and secondary glaucoma. Novel approaches based on ultrasound biomicroscopy and AS-OCT have been proposed to increase the vault prediction accuracy and to identify eyes in which prediction errors are more likely. Careful patient selection and regular postoperative follow-up visits can reduce the complication risk and enable early intervention if a complication occurs.

Descriptive Analysis of Footplate Position After Myopic Implantable Collamer Lens Implantation Using a Very High-Frequency Ultrasound Robotic Scanner

Purpose

To assess the position of the haptics of the implantable collamer lens (ICL) in myopic eyes using a high-frequency ultrasound robotic scanner.

Methods

This was a prospective, single-arm, observational study carried out at the Instituto Zaldivar SA (Mendoza, Argentina) in a sample of 52 eyes who have been submitted to successful ICL implantation prior to enrollment. Images of the eyes were obtained using a very-high frequency digital ultrasound robotic scanner (VHFDU) to establish the position of the ICL in the posterior chamber and its relation to the ciliary sulcus. New parameters for lens position analysis were also described.

Results

In 81% of cases (42 eyes), the ICL rests on the ciliary body (CB) in both temporal and nasal sides, being slightly lower than 6% (3 eyes) those that rest on the sulcus in both sides, with significant correlations between ICL position and vault values (p<0.05). Cases in which the ICL position was CB-CB yielded central vault values across the whole range determined within the sample, but most of the eyes where the ICL rests on both the sulcus in one side and the CB in the other yield greater central vault values. Correlation was significant between ICL position and retroposition distance on the temporal side (Spearman's rho -0.487, p<0.001). A significant but weaker correlation was also found between ICL position and retroiridian space (p<0.05).

Conclusion

ICL for myopia footplates tend to locate outside of the sulcus in a significant percentage of patients after successful implantation. VHFDU assessment in eyes implanted with an ICL to properly study the lens footplate position and posterior anatomical relations provides important additional information besides post-surgery vault.

Early outcomes of anterior segment parameters after implantable collamer lens V4c implantation

Background

This study investigated the early outcomes of anterior segment parameters after implanting an implantable collamer lens with a central hole (ICL V4c) in patients with myopia and determined the earliest follow-up time for detecting potential complications.

Methods

Sixty-two patients were included, and the following parameters were measured at baseline (preoperative), 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3, and 6 months after the operation: intraocular pressure (IOP), endothelial cell density (ECD), central anterior chamber depth (CACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), nasal and temporal anterior chamber angle (n-ACA and t-ACA), horizontal corneal diameter (white-to-white, WTW), and axial length (AL). The vault was measured at each post-operative timepoint.

Results

The postoperative IOP and ECD at the 6 months were both statistically similar to the baseline. The post-operative CACD and ACV were significantly less at all timepoints compared with the baseline (P < 0.001) and stayed stable from 1 day and 1 month after the operation, respectively. Postoperative n-ACA and t-ACA decreased significantly at 1 day and 1 week compared with the baseline (P < 0.001), while tended to stabilization at 1, 3, and 6 months. The vault kept decreasing significantly at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month, but stayed stable at 3 and 6 months. The postoperative n-ACA and t-ACA positively correlated with the baseline ACA, CACD, and ACV.

Conclusions

The anterior chamber parameters tended to stabilization early after the operation. Thus, it is essential to evaluate patients’ anterior segment status at earlier timepoints and prevent complications with prompt and non-invasive intervention.

Analysis of perioperative problems related to intraocular Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) implantation

PURPOSE

To introduce a modified procedure of ICL implantation, to summarize the perioperative problems and their corresponding treatment after myopia correction with Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL), and to compare the difference of complications between the no-hole ICL and hole ICL.

METHODS

We searched all articles on ICL-related perioperative problems and their corresponding treatment in Scopus, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science databases for the last 22 years.

RESULTS

ICL implantation is safe, effective, stable and predictable in the correction of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, but can also cause a series of perioperative problems, including intraoperative and postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

There are many kinds of complications related to ICL, but the common intraoperative and postoperative complications mainly include abnormality of arch height, abnormal position of ICL, loss of corneal endothelial cells and corneal decompensation, high intraocular pressure and secondary glaucoma, cataract and night vision symptoms. Compared with ICL without central pore, the incidence of complications such as loss of corneal endothelial cells and corneal decompensation, high intraocular pressure and secondary glaucoma and cataract was relatively lower in central hole ICL, while postoperative complications such as night vision symptoms were obvious.

Intraoperative Adjustment of Implantable Collamer Lens Vault by Lens Rotation Aided by intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE

To assess the use of intraoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect high vault during implantation surgery and guide intraoperative vault adjustment by ICL rotation.

SETTING

Instituto Zaldivar SA. Mendoza, Argentina.

DESIGN

Prospective, single-arm, observational study.

METHODS

A total of 25 eyes of 25 consecutive patients showing high intraoperative vault who undergone Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) rotation from horizontal to vertical or oblique position were evaluated. Central ICL vault was measured both intraoperatively using the microscope-integrated iOCT (Optomedical Technologies GmbH, Luebeck, Germany, merged with Haag-Streit Surgical GmbH & Co. KG in May 2020) mounted on a standard surgical microscope (HS Hi-R NEO 900A NIR, Haag-Streit Surgical GmbH & Co. KG, Wedel, Germany), and postoperatively using the Casia 2 swept-source OCT (Tomey GmbH, Nürnberg, Germany) at 4 hours, 1 day and 1 month.

RESULTS

Mean vault value obtained intraoperatively was 1147.88±188.36 μm and changed significantly to 739.76 ± 194.97 μm after lens rotation to either vertical (n=19, 76% of cases) or oblique (n=6, 24% of cases) positions (mean difference 408.12 ± 213.57 μm, p < 0.001). There was significant relationship between the amount of change due to lens rotation with white-to-white distance (r=-0.480, p=0.015) and vault before rotation (r=-0.564, p=0.003). Mean vault values were 758.40±187.10 μm, 729.73±227.86 μm and 661.88±275.17 μm at 4 hours, 24 hours and 1-month post-surgery, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative adjustment of ICL vault by lens rotation using intraoperative OCT is an effective procedure to obtain an optimal vault.