COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IMPLANTATION OF FLEXIBLE OPEN-LOOP ANTERIOR-CHAMBER INTRAOCULAR-LENS

Purpose To assess and compare the results of primary and secondary imp lantation of flexible open-loop anterior chamber intraocular lenses (A C-IOLs). Methods A series of 57 eyes of 56 patients with flexible AC-I OLs were reviewed in two groups. In group I (n = 35) an AC-IOL was imp lanted primarily, because of posterior capsule problems during extraca psular cataract extraction (ECCE), and in group II (n = 22) secondaril y after intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE). Follow-up was from 1 2 to 38 months. Results Mean post-operative best-corrected visual acui ty in group I was significantly lower (20/37.38) than that of group II (20/29.20) (p = 0.044). Best: corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or bet ter was achieved in 19 of 29 eyes (65%) in group I, and in 16 of 21 ey es (76%) in group II. The difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In group II 18 eyes (86%) maintained or improved visual a cuity. In group I, 17 eyes (49%) had a total of 22 complications, whil e 7 eyes (32%) had 9 complications in group IP (p > 0.05). Conclusions Flexible open-loop AC-IOLs are suitable for both primary and secondar y implantation to correct aphakia. Secondary implantation of flexible open-loop AC-IOLs after ICCE seems to have a more favourable visual ou tcome and a lower complication rate than primary implantation in compl icated ECCE cases.