Ultrasound biomicroscopy examination of intraocular lens haptic position after phacoemulsification with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and extracapsular cataract extraction with linear capsulotomy.
OBJECTIVE
Intraocular lens (IOL) haptic position in 35 eyes that had undergone cataract surgery was examined with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).


METHODS
In a prospective randomized study the patients were operated by phacoemulsification using continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) (group I) or by extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) using linear capsulotomy (group II). Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to localize both haptics of the implanted intraocular lenses and to measure anterior chamber depth (ACD), iris thickness and anterior chamber angle. The inflammatory reaction in the anterior chamber was assessed with laser flare photometry. Slit lamp examination was performed.


RESULTS
Both IOL haptics were found in the lens capsule in all 18 eyes in group I. In group II one of the haptics was located out of the capsule in 7 of 17 eyes (41%). The difference is statistically significant (p=0.01). Postoperatively mean ACD measured with the UBM was 4.06+/-0.30 mm in group I and 3.64+/-0.24 mm in group II (p=0.00025).


CONCLUSIONS
The UBM examinations indicate that phacoemulsification with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is a more reliable technique than ECCE with linear capsulotomy to achieve implantation of the intraocular lens haptics in the capsular bag.
Landau
I M
IM
St Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Laurell
C G
CG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019923:Capsulorhexis; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007834:Lasers; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D010783:Photometry; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography