Prosthetic iris implantation for congenital, traumatic, or functional iris deficiencies.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy and safety of surgical implantation of prosthetic iris devices in patients with anatomic or functional iris deficiencies. SETTING: Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. METHODS: Twenty-five patients were enrolled in an interventional prospective noncomparative case series. Twenty-eight eyes had prosthetic iris diaphragm implantation for traumatic iris defects, congenital aniridia or iris coloboma, herpetic iris atrophy, surgical iris loss, or ocular albinism. Prosthetic iris implantation was performed with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in 20 eyes, secondary IOL implantation in 6 eyes, and IOL exchange in 1 eye. A single pseudophakic eye with disabling glare secondary to traumatic aniridia had secondary prosthetic iris implantation alone. The surgical ease of insertion, intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative anatomic results, visual acuity, and subjective glare reduction were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients were followed postoperatively for a mean of 10.2 months (range 1.4 to 25.7 months). All eyes achieved the desired anatomic result. Visual acuity was improved in 22 of 28 eyes (79%), unchanged in 5 eyes, and worsened by a single line in 1 eye. Patients were surveyed postoperatively to determine the change in glare disability. The severity of glare disability was subjectively improved in 23 of 24 patients (96%) who responded to the survey. Intraoperative complications included 3 fractured implants as well as an incomplete or torn capsulorhexis in 3 eyes. Postoperative complications included transient hypotony in 2 eyes, mild persistent inflammation in 1 eye, and macular edema followed by a retinal detachment in 1 eye with recent severe trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of prosthetic iris devices improved postoperative outcomes by reducing glare disability and, in selected cases, by correcting aphakia. Although operating on traumatized, congenitally aniridic, or uveitic eyes presents special challenges, implantation of prosthetic iris devices appears to be a safe and effective method for reducing the ubiquitous glare in patients with iris deficiency.

Progressive outer retinal necrosis syndrome in a lymphoma patient with good visual outcome.

PURPOSE: To report an HIV-negative lymphoma patient who developed progressive outer retinal necrosis syndrome and who had a good visual outcome after treatment with two-drug antiviral therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 43-year-old man with small lymphocytic lymphoma was diagnosed with progressive outer retinal necrosis in his left eye. Treatment was initiated with intravenous foscarnet and ganciclovir as well as intravenous gammaglobulin at a dose of 0.5 gm/kg per day for 5 days. On the second hospital day he was started on decadron 4 mg orally four times daily. No further posterior retinitis progression was observed despite severe immunosuppression. Visual acuity remained stable at 20/30 with 10 months' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of using gammaglobulin in progressive outer retinal necrosis is unknown. Given the rapid improvement seen in this patient's retinitis, it may be reasonable to consider the use of gammaglobulin in other cases of infectious retinitis in immunocompromised patients.

Cataract surgery combined with implantation of an artificial iris.

We describe 6 patients who presented with cataract or aphakia and absent or nonfunctional irides. The etiologies included congenital aniridia, traumatic iris loss, and chronic mydriasis secondary to recurrent herpetic uveitis. In 5 eyes, a prosthetic iris was successfully implanted in combination with small incision cataract surgery. In 2 eyes, a single-piece iris diaphragm and optical lens was implanted. Artificial irides offer a safe alternative for patients who previously had no viable options for iris reconstruction.

Management of profound zonular dialysis or weakness with a new endocapsular ring designed for scleral fixation.

The endocapsular tension ring has helped in the management of patients with moderate loss of zonular support. However, the eye with profound zonular dialysis or weakness may require scleral fixation of the ring for centration and long-term stabilization. We used a new, modified endocapsular tension ring designed to provide scleral support without violating the integrity of the capsular bag in 4 patients. All patients had extreme loss of zonular support preoperatively or a significant risk of progressive zonular weakness. In each case, the new ring provided excellent support and centration of the capsular bag and intraocular lens intraoperatively and postoperatively.

Re-forming the flat anterior chamber with Healon.

A shallow or flat anterior chamber may occur after complicated cataract surgery, a filtering procedure for glaucoma, or combined surgery. We describe a technique for injecting sodium hyaluronate (Healon) into the anterior chamber through the previous paracentesis tract in the operating room or at the slitlamp microscope. Re-forming the anterior chamber with Healon may pre-empt the anatomical sequelae of prolonged anterior chamber shallowing and prevent the need for more invasive surgery.

Endocapsular ring approach to the subluxed cataractous lens.

The surgical management of the cataract associated with extensive zonular dialysis presents a challenge for the anterior segment surgeon. In 1993, a poly(methyl methacrylate) endocapsular ring was introduced to stabilize the capsular bag. We describe the use of this endocapsular ring in phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in the capsular bag in four patients with extensive traumatic or congenital zonular dialysis. The endocapsular ring allows expansion and stabilization of the capsular bag to facilitate cortical aspiration and uncomplicated IOL implantation. With follow-up of 4 to 10 months, all IOLs have remained well centered and the patients have had excellent vision free of complications.

Antimicrobial efficacy and aqueous humor concentration of preoperative and postoperative topical trimethoprim/polymyxin B sulfate versus tobramycin.

We compared trimethoprim sulfate 0.1%/polymyxin B sulfate 10,000 units/mL with tobramycin 0.3% for preoperative sterilization of the ocular surface, aqueous humor concentration, and ocular safety and comfort in 99 patients who had cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation. The organisms most frequently cultured from the conjunctiva at baseline were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium species, and Staphylococcus aureus, which were isolated from 66%, 15%, and 8% of the 95 specimens eligible for evaluation. All organisms identified in positive baseline conjunctival cultures except Staphylococcus epidermidis were completely eradicated in both groups on the day of surgery and five to seven days postoperatively. Staphylococcus epidermidis was eradicated on the day of surgery in 58% of patients in the trimethoprim/polymyxin group and in 68% in the tobramycin group. This organism was eradicated five to seven days postoperatively in 85% of patients in both groups. Mean aqueous humor concentration of trimethoprim sulfate at surgery was greater than the mean tobramycin concentration, but neither reached clinically significant inhibitory levels for most organisms. No significant differences were found in ocular safety and comfort.

Treatment of anterior chamber fibrin following cataract surgery with tissue plasminogen activator.

Three patients who developed anterior chamber fibrinous exudates after cataract surgery were treated with tissue plasminogen activator injected into the anterior chamber. There was prompt dissolution of the fibrinous exudates and no observed complications. When fibrinous exudates occur in high-risk patients after cataract surgery, tissue plasminogen activator provides an excellent means of clearing the fibrin.

Retrobulbar hemorrhage.

Retrobulbar hemorrhage associated with retrobulbar anesthesia has been construed as a contraindication to cataract surgery. Cancellation of the surgery results in disappointment for both the patient and surgeon. A retrospective study of 60 eyes was undertaken to evaluate the safety of proceeding with small-incision phacoemulsification surgery after retrobulbar hemorrhage when specific criteria are met. If digital massage achieved a soft globe that was easily retropulsed and the eyelids were loose and easily mobilized, the surgery was performed as scheduled. If the globe remained firm within a tense orbit and proptosis with tight lids was present, surgery was cancelled. Fifty-seven cases with retrobulbar hemorrhage met these criteria and underwent phacoemulsification with implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens. The lack of intraoperative and postoperative complications suggests that small-incision cataract surgery can be safely performed when preceded by a limited retrobulbar hemorrhage.

The torn posterior capsule: its intraoperative behavior, surgical management, and long-term consequences.

A retrospective study of cataract surgery performed between January 1983 and December 31, 1989, disclosed 48 eyes in which the posterior capsule was torn. The overall incidence of this complication was approximately 1% but was further reduced when the technique of capsulorhexis was mastered. Our review of the video tapes of these surgical procedures revealed that the tear occurred most frequently during nucleus removal (41%) and posterior capsular vacuuming (28%). The anatomy of each tear was classified and related to the event responsible for the torn capsule, as well as to the likelihood of vitreous involvement. Vitreous presented through the tear in 32% of the 48 cases, entered the wound in 6%, and remained posterior to the torn capsule in 62%. Intraocular lenses were implanted in every case; only posterior chamber lenses were used during the last four years of the study. Vitreous-related complications included vitreous prolapse, peaked pupils, and vitreous-induced pupillary block. Acute postoperative intraocular pressure elevation was a frequent finding and was managed by conservative therapy. Transient cystoid macular edema developed in one case which had a rotating anterior chamber intraocular lens. No retinal detachments occurred in this series. Final visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 89% of the 48 cases. When properly managed, a torn posterior capsule is compatible with an excellent visual outcome.

Posterior polar cataracts: a predisposition to intraoperative posterior capsular rupture.

We performed phacoemulsification or planned extracapsular cataract extraction on posterior polar cataracts in 31 eyes of 22 patients and experienced eight cases of posterior capsular rupture (26%). Capsular rupture occurred during removal of the posterior polar opacity or during cleaning of the posterior capsule after the opacity had been removed. We believe that excessive adherence of the opacity to the posterior capsule and unusual thinness of the capsule predisposed these eyes to posterior capsular rupture.

Paired transverse relaxing keratotomy: a combined technique for reducing astigmatism.

Phacoemulsification, posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation, and corneal relaxing incisions were performed as a combined procedure in 75 eyes with preexisting with-the-rule or against-the-rule astigmatism. The results of this study confirm that this technique can safely reduce preexisting low and moderate astigmatism with a greater likelihood of achieving excellent uncorrected visual acuity.

Complications associated with STAAR silicone implants.

We compared the incidence of various complications in consecutive series of cases in which 76 eyes received STAAR silicone intraocular implants and 76 eyes received small incision IOLAB G708G polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) intraocular implants. All surgeries were performed by the same surgeon employing the same phacoemulsification technique. A higher incidence of lens subluxation, lens repositioning, corneal edema, and elevated intraocular pressure was observed in the eyes receiving STAAR silicone implants than in the eyes receiving IOLAB PMMA implants. In addition, a YAG laser posterior capsulotomy could not be performed through several STAAR silicone RMX 1 model implants. An invasive pars plana posterior capsulotomy was necessary in these eyes. We also found that the STAAR silicone RMX 3 model implants were often pitted by the YAG laser during successful posterior capsulotomies. Despite these problems, the STAAR silicone intraocular lens group achieved corrected vision similar to the PMMA lens group.

Management of acute postoperative intraocular pressure elevation by laser-induced filtration.

We describe a simple, rapid technique for creating a filtering bleb in the early postoperative period using the argon or Nd:YAG laser. After cutting a suture, an immediate reduction of the intraocular pressure will result as filtration occurs, thereby safely eliminating the need for and the risk of traditional surgery.

Complications of extracapsular cataract surgery. The indications and risks of peripheral iridectomy.

With the increased popularity of extracapsular cataract surgery, the need for a peripheral iridectomy has been questioned. Some surgeons feel that the risks involved in performing the iridectomy are greater than when leaving the iris untouched. The indications and risks of iridectomy with cataract surgery are discussed. Four case reports are presented. In three cases, iridectomy was not performed with cataract surgery, and a pupillary block developed. In one of these three, a congenital cataract, secondary angle closure, developed requiring filtering surgery. In the fourth case, an iridectomy prevented serious complications from an unusual degree of postoperative inflammation with complete posterior synechia following uneventful cataract surgery.