Intraoperative autorefraction for combined phakic intraocular lens explantation and cataract surgery.

PURPOSE

To evaluate intraoperative autorefraction during combined phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) explantation and cataract surgery.

METHODS

Phakic intraocular lens explantation was followed by crystalline lens emulsification and reformation of the anterior chamber with balanced salt solution. Autorefraction was performed intraoperatively with the Nikon Retinomax 2, and the IOL power was calculated using a formula for myopic eyes: IOL for emmetropia = 1.3 x aphakic spherical equivalent refraction + 1.45.

RESULTS

Nineteen myopic eyes of 15 patients with anterior or posterior chamber PIOL (including 6 eyes that had undergone photorefractive keratectomy) were treated. Two months postoperatively, mean spherical equivalent refraction was -0.56+/-0.40 diopters (D) (range: 0 to -1.50 D).

CONCLUSIONS

In myopic eyes, intraoperative auto-refraction provided a simple and reliable method to calculate IOL power in combined PIOL explantation and cataract surgery.