This retrospective study examined 1,490 posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens (PCPIOL) implantations performed at a single centre between January 2015 and June 2023. The aim of the study was to evaluate the reasons for explantation or exchange of these lenses and the outcomes of those procedures.
PCPIOL explantation or exchange was required in a total of 23 eyes. The most frequent reason was vault values falling outside the ideal range, followed by cataract development. In the eyes in which PCPIOLs were explanted or exchanged, anterior chamber depth, lens length and white-to-white distance were found to be significantly greater than in the other patients.
In all myopic cases that developed a high vault, PCPIOLs of 13.2 mm or 13.7 mm in length had been used. All explantation procedures were carried out safely with the tuck-and-pull technique and no serious surgical complications were observed.
In conclusion, the principal reasons for PCPIOL explantation or exchange are inappropriate vault values and cataract development. It is of great importance that the biometric measurements of both eyes be evaluated carefully and the recommended lens sizes reviewed meticulously, particularly before planning lenses of 13.2 and 13.7 mm.
Prof. Dr. Efekan Coşkunseven