Uveitic Eyes
October 8, 2011DrHovanesian No Comments »For Cataract Surgery in the Uveitic Eye: use the safest lens possible.
A recent study in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery by Abela-Formanek reviewed the biocompatibility of different lens materials and designs for use in uveitic eyes. The study concluded, by a somewhat narrow margin, that hydrophilic acrylic lenses performed slightly better than hydrophobic acrylic lenses. Furthermore, lenses with a square-edge design allowed less formation of Elschnig pearls and posterior capsule opacification.
We pay a good deal of attention to the medication regimen used in uveitic eyes and other complicated scenarios, but the choice of lens material is also important.* This article builds upon an existing fund of knowledge that hydrophilic acrylic lenses probably serve these patients best. In the U.S., the lenses that fit into the category of hydrophilic acrylic are the Akreos lenses (Bausch + Lomb), the series of STAAR Collamer lenses (STAAR Surgical), the Rayner C-flex IOLs (Rayner) and the Softec series of lenses (Lenstec). The increasing availability of hydrophilic acrylic lenses fills an important need in our surgical armamentarium.
It’s worth mentioning that two of the most common lenses in use in the United States are the hydrophobic acrylic AcrySof (Alcon) and the Tecnis (Abbott Medical Optics). With a track record of tens of millions of implants, these lenses are known to be safe in a wide variety of situations. In the patient with prolonged postoperative uveitis, however, the advantage probably goes to hydrophilic lens materials.
*There are no data showing that silicone or other lens materials are unsafe in patients with uveitis. This blog entry intends to clarify the findings of one published study. It does not intend to suggest that silicone or any other lens material is inherently unsafe.
Join the discussion