Long-Term Follow-Up of Corneal Endothelial Cell Changes After Iris-Fixated Phakic Intraocular Lens Explantation.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term corneal endothelial cell changes and visual outcomes after iris-fixated phakic intraocular lens (pIOL) explantation in patients with endothelial damage and to investigate potential predictors of endothelial injury.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing pIOL explantation with corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) <2000 cells/mm 2 at the time of the procedure were retrospectively reviewed in a single tertiary center. All patients were treated between April 2016 and October 2020 at a high-volume referral-based tertiary hospital. The primary outcome was the change in corneal endothelial parameters, including ECD, over long-term follow-up. Secondary outcomes included changes in corrected distance visual acuity and analysis of prognostic factors.

RESULTS

This study included 44 eyes from 28 patients with an average age of 42.5 ± 7.8 years (range: 27-63). Mean ECD before explantation was 1375.4 ± 468.2 cells/mm 2 (range: 622-1996), and the average duration of follow-up after explantation was 20.5 months (6-58.2). Two years after explantation, ECD had significantly decreased by more than 25% to 1019.6 ± 368.6 (608-1689; P < 0.01). However, there was no significant change in corrected distance visual acuity (20/23-20/22, P = 0.59). Longer operation duration (odds ratio, 1.004; P = 0.04) was the only significant factor weakly associated with postoperative decreases in ECD.

CONCLUSIONS

Although ECD continuously decreased despite pIOL explantation on a long-term follow-up, patients did not experience any discomfort or showed decreases in visual acuity. Therefore, a careful follow-up is required for possible endothelial injury after pIOL explantation.