Intraocular polyimide intraocular lens haptic breakage long-term postoperatively.
We present 2 cases of 3-piece silicone intraoculanbsp;r lenses (IOLs) with broken polyimide haptics. In the first case, the IOL was implanted in the anterior chamber after posterior capsule rupture. Twelve years later, it was explanted and exchanged because of bullous keratopathy. However, on careful manipulation for explantation, the haptics shattered into multiple pieces. In the second case, initial in-the-bag implantation of the IOL was uneventful. Fifteen years later, the IOL dislocated into the anterior chamber as a result of spontaneous in situ haptic breakage. The haptics of both IOLs appeared very brittle during careful manipulation for gross and light microscopy, with further breakage. Scanning electron microscopy of both IOLs revealed no evidence of haptic degradation. Their surfaces appeared smooth and regular with jagged edges where the breaks occurred. Few studies have examined the long-term biocompatibility of polyimide, and more research is needed to determine the cause of this phenomenon.


BACKGROUND
No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Shannon
S
Stallings
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico. Electronic address: liliana.werner@hsc.utah.edu.
Liliana
L
Werner
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Arturo
A
Chayet
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Samuel
S
Masket
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Fidel
F
Camacho
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Carolee
C
Cutler Peck
From the John A. Moran Eye Center (Stallings, Werner, Peck, Mamalis), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Advanced Vision Care (Masket), Los Angeles, California, USA; the Codet Vision Institute (Chayet, Camacho), Tijuana, Mexico.
Nick
N
Mamalis
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020878:Device Removal; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000737:chemistry*; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*
D012117:Resins, Synthetic; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; C029945:polyimide resin