Postoperative deposition of calcium on the surfaces of a hydrogel intraocular lens.
OBJECTIVE
To report clinical, pathological and histochemical features of 5 Hydroview intraocular lenses (IOLs) explanted from five patients who had visual disturbances caused by postoperative deposits on the lens surfaces.


METHODS
Noncomparative small case series with clinicopathologic and histochemical correlations.


METHODS
Five hydrophilic IOLs explanted from five different patients. All patients presented with decreased visual acuity and glare circa 12 months after uneventful phacoemulsification and IOL implantation, associated with a red-brown granularity on the optical surfaces of the IOLs.


METHODS
The lenses were explanted, fixed in buffered formaldehyde and examined by gross and light microscopy.


METHODS
Staining of the IOLs with 1% alizarin red and with the von Kossa method (both stains for calcium). Two additional IOLs were also stained and included as controls.


RESULTS
The optical surfaces of all five IOLs were covered by a layer of irregular granular deposits, composed of multiple fine, translucent spherical-ovoid granules. The deposits stained positive for calcium in all cases. No deposit or positive staining was observed on the IOLs haptics. Staining of the control IOLs was also negative.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first histopathological report of calcified deposits on the surfaces of this hydrogel IOL model. Further studies on other similar cases with this lens should be done to determine the incidence and possible mechanisms of this phenomenon.
Werner
L
L
Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Apple
D J
DJ
Escobar-Gomez
M
M
Ohrström
A
A
Crayford
B B
BB
Bianchi
R
R
Pandey
S K
SK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000880:Anthraquinones; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D019466:Glare; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000880:Anthraquinones; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; C010078:alizarin; D002118:Calcium