Correction of high myopia with different phakic anterior chamber intraocular lenses: ICARE angle-supported lens and Verisyse iris-claw lens

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy, predictability and safety of implanting two models of anterior chamber IOLs for high myopia. Comparison of the refractive results between two groups of patients implanted with different IOLs. Materials and methods: Forty eyes were implanted with phakic IOLs. The ICARE myopia lens was implanted in 20 eyes of 12 patients with preoperative myopia that ranged from -21.875 to -10.0. The mean patients' age was 30 years. The Verisyse IOL was implanted in 20 eyes of 12 patients with spherical equivalent of the refractive error from -21.625 to -10.375D, and the mean patients' age was 32.25 years. The dioptric power of the intraocular lens was calculated by considering refraction, keratometry, and anterior chamber depth. The follow-up period was 12 months. Results: Twelve months after surgery, the mean refractive error (SE) was -0.19D (100% of eyes were within ±1.0D of the target refraction) in the ICARE group, and 0.86D (95% of eyes were within ±1.0D of the target refraction) in the Verisyse group. The postoperative refraction remained stable during the entire follow-up period. The mean uncorrected visual acuity was 0.7 in the ICARE group, and 0.69 in the Verisyse group 1 year postoperatively. There was no loss in visual acuity 1 year after surgery in the ICARE implanted eyes, one patient in the Verisyse group lost 1 line of BCVA as compared to the preoperative state. Mean endothelial cell density loss was 6.12% and 6.79% in the ICARE and Verisyse groups, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences regarding the analyzed outcome parameters between the two study groups. Conclusion: The implantation of both anterior chamber phakic intraocular lenses to correct high myopia resulted in a stable and predictable refractive outcome. Efficacy and safety of surgery for both implanted lens models are very high. © Springer-Verlag 2006.