Anterior Capsular Staining with a Mixture of Indocyanine Green Dye and Viscoelastic Material

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The authors used a mixture of ICG dye and viscoelastic material to perform continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) in white cataract, in order to stain the anterior capsule with the minimal contact with the corneal endothelial cells. METHODS: In 10 eyes with white cataract, CCC was performed under the anterior capsular staining with ICG dye. The ICG solution was prepared by dissolving 25 mg of ICG in 1 mlof an aqueous solvent, which was mixed in 3 ml of balanced salt solution. With a three-way connector, one way was occluded, the other was connected with 1 ml of viscoelastic material, and the third was connected with 4 ml of the prepared ICG solution. One half percent mixture of ICG and viscoelastic material was made by alternate injection. The anterior chamber was filled with viscoelastic material, and then the anterior capsule was stained by slow spread of the prepared ICG mixture between anterior capsule and viscoelastic material. The remains of ICG mixture was removed by infusion and aspiration. The anterior chamber was filled with viscoelastic material again, CCC was performed with cystotome. Corneal edema and anterior chamber reaction was evaluated with slit lamp at 1 day, 1 week and 1 month after surgery. RESULTS: In all cases, CCC was successfully completed under the anterior capsular staining of the desired area with 0.5% ICG dye mixture and there was no contact with the corneal endothelial cells. Mild corneal edema and mild anterior chamber reaction that observed on the 1st postoperative day subsided within 1 week in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Staining the anterior capsule with 0.5% ICG dye mixture, after the anterior chamber was filled with viscoelastic material, it was helpful to perform CCC in white cataract. Using this technique, we could minimize the contact with the corneal endothelial cells and stain the desired area.