Surgical and visual outcomes following exchange of opacified Hydroview® intraocular lenses

Aim: To report the clinical and surgical outcomes following exchange of opacified Hydroview® intraocular lenses (IOLs), and to relate the final visual and anatomic results to clinical and surgical variables. Methods: This is a prospective study of seventy-three eyes that underwent exchange of opacified Hydroview® IOLs in Waterford Regional Hospital, Ireland. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative details were recorded. Results: This study comprised 73 eyes of 71 consecutive patients undergoing IOL exchange, performed at mean (±SD) intervals of 36.64 (±9.9) months following the primary cataract surgery. The mean (±SE) follow-up following the exchange procedure was 13 (±1) months (range: 1–45 months). The secondary IOL was placed in the capsular bag, in the sulcus, and in the anterior chamber in 22 (30.1%), 24 (32.9%) and 27 (37%) cases, respectively. The IOL exchange procedure was uneventful in 36 eyes (49.3%), whereas intraoperative events such as posterior capsule rupture, vitreous loss and zonular dehiscence were seen in the remainder (50.7%). Following the IOL exchange procedure, a significant improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was noted at one and at three months, and at the final visit (Wilcoxon signed ranks test: p Conclusion: IOL exchange is a technically challenging, but visually rewarding procedure. However, placement of the secondary IOL in the anterior chamber is associated with a poorer visual outcome when compared with placement of the secondary IOL in the sulcus or in the capsular bag.