Phacofragmentation with perfluorocarbon liquid and anterior chamber or scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation for the management of luxated crystalline lenses

PURPOSE: To present a complex surgical technique used for the management of luxated crystalline lenses and evaluate treatment results. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. METHODS: This prospective study involved 29 consecutive patients (30 eyes) with the mean age of 60.3 years. The applied surgical technique comprised pars plana vitrectomy, perfluorocarbon liquid injection, and crystalline lens phacofragmentation in the vitreous cavity. Simultaneously, anterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs) were implanted in 10 eyes, and scleral-fixated posterior chamber IOLs in 20 eyes. The follow-up mean was 5.2 month (range 1 to 16 months). RESULTS: No complications were observed during phacofragmentation. Visual acuity improved in 22 cases and did not change in the other 8 eyes. The mean visual acuity was 0.40 +/- 0.37 (SD) (range between hand movements and 1.0) preoperatively and 0.68 +/- 0.34 (range 0.05 to 1.0) postoperatively. In 22 cases (73%), very good or good visual acuity (6/6 to 6/12) was achieved. There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperatively, transient hypotony was observed in 10 eyes, fibrinous reaction in the anterior chamber in 1 eye, dispersed blood in the vitreous cavity in 8 eyes, hyphema in 1 eye, corneal edema in 1 eye, vitritis in 3 cases, iris tug in 1 eye with an anterior chamber IOL, and slight dislocation of the scleral-fixated IOL in 1 case. Intraocular pressure was elevated in 11 eyes preoperatively; postoperatively, it normalized in 7 eyes without medication. CONCLUSION: Phacofragmentation with perfluorocarbon liquid and IOL implantation for the management of luxated crystalline lenses was safe and effective method, providing good functional results.