Intraocular lens exchange or explantation post cataract surgery

Aim: To report incidence, indications, and visual outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) exchange/explantation surgery.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 60 eyes requiring IOL exchange/explantation surgery between 1^st January 2017 and 31^st December 2022. The overall outcomes as well as comparison between the trainee versus experienced surgeons were analyzed.

Results: Out of 39 778 cataract surgeries (with no preexisting ocular co-morbidities) during a six-year period (2017-2022), 60 (0.15%) needed IOL exchange/explantation. Surgeons-under-training performed 36/60 cases (60%) while 24/60 (40%) were by experienced surgeons. The commonest indication was subluxated IOL in 26 (43.3%), followed by dislocated IOL in 20 (33.3%), postoperative refractive surprise in 7 (11.6%), IOL induced uveitis in five and broken haptic in two eyes. Twenty-four (40%) eyes had intraoperative complications during primary surgery. Posterior chamber IOL (PCIOL) was the commonest secondary IOL in 21 (35%) eyes, scleral fixated in 20 (31.6%), anterior chamber IOL (ACIOL) in 13 (21.6%), iris fixated IOL in three (5%) and three eyes (5%) were left aphakic. The mean time between primary and secondary surgery was 168d (168±338.8). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of >20/60 was obtained in 43 eyes (71.66%), 20/80-20/200 in 14 (23.33%), 20/250 in two and hand movements in one. No statistically significant difference in visual outcome was noted at post-op one month between trainees versus experienced surgeons (UCVA 0.45±0.29 vs 0.53±0.32, P=0.20, BCVA 0.34±0.25 vs 0.37±0.26, P=0.69).

Conclusion: IOL subluxation as the commonest indication and posterior capsular rupture is the commonest intraoperative risk factor. This complication can be effectively addressed with selection of the appropriate secondary IOL achieving good visual outcomes in over 70% of patients.