Safety first: pIOL is effective for myopic astigmatism

Implantation of the Artiflex toric iris-fixated phakic IOL is effective, predictable and safe for the correction of myopic astigmatism, claims a study in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Dr Gonzalo Muñoz et al., Refractive Surgery Department, Marqués de Sotelo Ophthalmic Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, conducted a cohort study on 42 eyes of 25 patients age 21 to 39 years.

Refraction, uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuities, complications, pIOL misalignment, and endothelial cell count (ECC) were evaluated 12 months postoperatively. Vector analysis was used to calculate indices of success and misalignment.

Mean spherical equivalent was reduced from −8.85 D ± 2.71 SD to −0.37 ± 0.46 D, with 66.7% of the eyes within ±0.50 D. Mean cylinder power reduced from−2.90 D to −0.39 D. A UDVA of 0.5 or better was achieved in all eyes, along with a CDVA of 0.8 or better.

Mean clinical pIOL misalignment was 2.6 ± 1.8 degrees and one eye required surgical repositioning of the pIOL. Mean ECC reduction was 9.3% ± 1.8%, with iris pigment precipitates observed in 16.7% of eyes. Vector analysis demonstrated excellent mean indices of success for overall, spherical and astigmatic corrections.