Implantation of a black diaphragm intraocular lens in ten cases of post-traumatic aniridia.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively review the safety and efficacy of black-diaphragm intraocular lenses (IOL) implanted for the treatment of post-traumatic aniridia.


METHODS
Ten patients (mean age 48 years, range 21-75) were implanted with a black-diaphragm posterior chamber IOL (Morcher GmbH, model 67F) for correction of post-traumatic aniridia associated with cataract or aphakia. This IOL, in poly(methylmethacrylate), consists of an opaque diaphragm surrounding the transparent optic, and was inserted through a 10-mm scleral tunnel (seven eyes) or through the corneal trephination in cases of simultaneous penetrating keratoplasty (three eyes), and in-the-sulcus implanted, trans-sclerally sutured (six eyes) or on capsular support (four eyes). Mean follow-up was 33.4 months (range 12-52).


RESULTS
Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in eight eyes and remained unchanged in two. Glare and photophobia decreased in all patients. Intraoperatively, ciliary sulcus bleeding occurred in two cases and haptic rupture during lens insertion in one. Postoperatively, persistent intraocular inflammation was seen in four eyes, secondary glaucoma in four eyes, transient hyphema and/or hemovitreous in four, IOL decentration in two, and post-traumatic haptic detachment in one eye.


CONCLUSIONS
Although in our experience the haptics still seem weak and the diaphragm diameter too large, implantation of the black-diaphragm IOL type 67F appeared sufficiently safe and provided satisfactory functional results for correction of post-traumatic aniridia combined with cataract or aphakia, improving BCVA and reducing glare and photophobia in most patients, though clearly more cases and longer follow-up are needed to assess its clinical performance properly.
Beltrame
G
G
Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital of San Donà di Piave, Venezia, Italy. giorgio.beltrame2@tin.it
Salvetat
M L
ML
Chizzolini
M
M
Driussi
G B
GB
Busatto
P
P
Di Giorgio
G
G
Barosco
F
F
Scuderi
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015783:Aniridia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000293:injuries*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000379:methods*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate