The influence of injection volume and capsular bag contraction on the refractive power of polymer refilled lenses - a finite element modelling simulation study.
OBJECTIVE
Polymer injection into the capsular bag after phakoemulsification is an interesting and promising approach to lens surgery. Safe clinical application of this technique will require an appropriate estimate of the effect of implantation variables on the lens power. This article details the results of finite element investigations into the effects of the injected polymer volume and capsular bag contraction on the resultant lens power and accommodation amplitude.


METHODS
An axisymmetric finite element model was created from literature sources. Polymer injection and the capsular contraction were simulated, and their effect on the lens power was calculated.


CONCLUSIONS
The simulations show that overfilling during polymer injection leads to a refractive power increase of the lens. Capsular bag contraction also results in a power increase. The calculated accommodative amplitude of the lens is minimally affected by capsular bag contraction but decreases significantly with increased capsular bag stiffness as a result of fibrosis.
Martin
Heiner
H
Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. heiner.martin@uni-rostock.de
Guthoff
Rudolf
R
Schmitz
Klaus-Peter
KP
D000065:Accommodation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D005355:Fibrosis; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*
D011108:Polymers