The management of patients with intraocular lenses. Guidelines for those who do not perform this operation.

The management of patients with intraocular lenses can be done quite well by any knowledgeable ophthalmologist. Every examination must include the measurement of intraocular pressure and a thorough slit-lamp examination, specifically noting: Corneal edema, local or diffuse; Increasing corneal guttata; Touch of lens or iris suture to the cornea; Aqueous ray or cells, KP, LP (lens precipitates); Lens displacement; Iris suture problems; Pupil margin erosion; Secondary cataract; Vitreous face: loss or thickening; Retrolenticular membrane formation; Vitreous cells. Ophthalmoscopy should include examination of the peripheral retina for detachment, but visual fields should be done whenever detachment is suspected. Contact lens--slit-lamp examination of the macula for cystoid edema should be supplemented by Flourescein angioscopy when needed. Lens removal should be done only after careful consideration. The damage induced by such surgery must be weighed against the problems of leaving the lens in place. Consultation is mandatory. When in doubt, refer.