Angle-supported intraocular lens versus scleral-sutured posterior chamber intraocular lens in post-cataract surgery aphakic patients: two-year follow-up cost-effectiveness analysis

To compare visual, anatomical and economical outcomes of patients with secondary anterior chamber intraocular lens (AC-IOL) implantation and secondary scleral fixated intraocular lens (SF-IOL) implantation. In this retrospective observational study, 38 aphakic patients after complicated phacoemulsification divided in two groups, AC-IOL group (17 patients receiving AC-IOL implantation) and SF-IOL group (21 patients receiving SF-IOL implantation). Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), patient reported visual outcome (VF-14) and endothelial cell density (ECD) were measured at baseline and two-year follow-up. Complication rate was registered. The global cost of each procedure and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated. No statistically significant difference was found in CDVA (logMAR 0.24 ± 0.17 vs. 0.32 ± 0.26, p = 0.27), VF-14 (68 ± 18 vs. 61 ± 20, p = 0.24), ECD (1456.48 ± 525.15 vs. 1341.71 ± 374.33, p = 0.48) and overall complication rate (p = 0.79) postoperatively between the SF-IOL group and the AC-IOL group. The ECD loss rate was significantly higher in the AC-IOL group (15.5% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.004). The average global cost of the two procedures was higher in the SF-IOL group (p < 0.005) and ICER showed an additional payment of 693 € for each patient in SF-IOL group against a saving of 186 endothelial cells 2 years postoperatively. AC IOL and SF-IOL implantation showed similar outcomes in terms of visual function and safety profile. Higher ECD loss was found in AC-IOL group. The global cost of implantation was significantly lower for AC-IOL, but the ICER seems to justify the SF-IOL implantation in patients with low ECD.