title: Removal of intraocular lenses.
abstract: The following points should be considered regarding removal of an IOL: 1. Be sure that it is an offending agent and not an innocent bystander before deciding to remove it. 2. An offending IOL may usually be replaced with an anterior chamber lens, with excellent results. 3. Removal of an IOL is usually a difficult procedure in less-than-satisfactory circumstances, and should be undertaken only by an experienced implant surgeon, with special attention to the delicate nature of the patient's eye and emotional feelings about this dilemma. 4. Every effort should be made to perform maneuvers in a closed system with minimal opening and folding of the cornea and minimal irrigation of the anterior chamber. 5. An offending IOL should be removed and replaced with an appropriate lens before irreversible damage has been done to the eye, if at all possible.
mesh_terms: D000867:Anterior Chamber; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000209:etiology; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006988:Hyphema / Q000209:etiology; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008266:Macula Lutea; D014603:Uveal Diseases / Q000209:etiology