Rotating the Intraocular Lens to Prevent Posterior Capsular Opacification in Cataract Surgeries

Summary

The present protocol describes removing residual epithelial cells by rotating the intraocular lens in extracapsular cataract surgery without extra tools for preventing posterior capsular opacification.

Abstract

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a common postoperative complication of extracapsular cataract surgery, which is caused by the proliferation and migration of lens epithelial cells and can affect long-term visual outcomes significantly. The most effective treatment for PCO is neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy; however, this treatment is associated with posterior segment complication and can break the stability of capsular bag, affecting the position and function of trifocal or toric intraocular lenses (IOLs). Advances in surgical procedures, IOL design, and pharmacy have reduced the rate of PCO in recent years, concentrating on the inhibition of proliferative lens epithelial cells (LECs). This protocol aimed to clear LECs more thoroughly during phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. The first several steps, including clear corneal incision, continuous circular capsulorhexis, hydrodissection, hydrodelineation, and phacoemulsification, were completed as conventional procedures. After placing the IOL into the capsular bag, rotation of the IOL by at least 360° was performed using an irrigation/aspiration tip or a hook, with slight stress on the posterior capsule. Some residuals occurred in the originally transparent capsular bag after rotation of the IOLs. Then, these materials and the viscoelastic were cleared completely using an irrigation/aspiration system. A clear posterior capsule was observed after the surgery in patients undergoing this method. This method of rotating IOLs is a simple, effective, and safe way to prevent PCO by clearing residual LECs and can be carried out without extra tools or skills.

Introduction

Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness worldwide, characterized by a clouding of the lens. The only means of treating cataracts is surgical intervention by removing the opaque lens, which restores high visual quality. However, a secondary reduction of visual quality, termed posterior capsule opacification (PCO), develops in 20%-40% of patients within 2 to 5 years after surgery¹. This article introduces a method to further remove residual lens epithelial cells (LECs) left in the capsular bag in cataract surgery by rotating the intraocular lens (IOL) to prevent PCO.

PCO is a process caused by LECs, which are ....

Protocol

This study adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Peking University Third Hospital. It should be noted that the novel procedure here is the step of rotating the IOL. The inclusion criteria are cataract patients over 50 years of age willing to undergo cataract surgery in Peking University Third Hospital. The exclusion criteria are the presence of eye diseases that may affect the stability of the suspensorium and capsular bag, such as pathologic myopia, glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, uveitis, subluxation of the lens including Marfan syndrome, Marchesani syndrome, and homocystinuri....

Results

A clear capsular bag was formed after the I/A step (Figure 1A). However, some cortical fragments were observed in the capsular bag after rotating and polishing the IOL (Figure 1B).

This process can also be performed using a hook. Similarly, the posterior capsule was clear after capsular polishing by the I/A tip (Figure 2A). Through fast rotation and movement of the IOL, some residuals appeared in the caps.......

Discussion

There are some benefits to this method. Firstly, residual LECs in the capsule bag were reduced further, especially those in the equatorial area, and the possibility of PCO occurrence was reduced rationally. Secondly, a reduced possibility of PCO means a lower rate of Nd:YAG laser treatment, providing the opportunity to maintain the integrity of the capsule bag and effective lens positions and functions. Thirdly, this method can be achieved with available instruments in cataract surgery without additional preparation. In .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
20 G Sideport MVR Knife	BVI	378231	To make corneal incision
3.2 mm Slit Blade	BVI	378232	To make corneal incision
Balanced salt solution	Xingqi	H19991142	Compound electrolyte intraocular irrigating solution
Centurion vision system	Alcon Laboratories	8065753057	The Centurion Vision System is indicated for emulsification, separation, irrigation, and aspiration of cataracts, residual cortical material and lens epithelial cells, vitreous aspiration and cutting associated with anterior vitrectomy, bipolar coagulation, and intraocular lens injection.
Compound tropicamide eye drops	Xingqi	Zhuobian	To dilate the pupils before the surgery
Disposable sterile irrigator	WEGO	100038404339	To complete hydrodissection and hydrodelineation
Fenzl lens insertion hook and manipulator	Belleif	IF-8100	IOL positioning hook
Levofloxacin eye drops	Santen	Cravit	To prevent ocular infection before the surgery
Mini-flared Kelman tip 30DG	Alcon Laboratories	8065750852	To complete phacoemulsification
One piece intraocular Lens	Zeiss	AT TORBI 709M	Intraocular lens
Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride	Santen	Benoxil	Topical anesthesia
Phaco handpiece	Alcon Laboratories	8065751761	To complete phacoemulsification
Sinskey hook	Belleif	IF-8013	For chop
Ultraflow II I/A tip	Alcon Laboratories	8065751795	To complete irrigation and aspiration
Utrata capsulorhexis forceps	Belleif	IF-3003C	To complete continuous circular capsulorhexis
Viscoelastics/Medical sodium hyaluronate gel	Bausch&lomb	iviz	Maintaining the anterior chamber and capsular bag