Visual And Refractive Outcomes Following Exchange Of An Opacified Multifocal Intraocular Lens

To assess the visual and refractive outcomes following exchange of an opacified multifocal intraocular lens (IOL).

Cathedral Eye Clinic, Belfast, United Kingdom.

A consecutive series of 37 eyes (31 patients) that underwent IOL exchange between November 2015 and May 2021 were included in this study.  The indication for surgery in all cases was opacification of a multifocal IOL.  Outcome measures included design and anatomical location of the secondary IOL, intraoperative and postoperative complications, visual acuity and refractive accuracy.

An opacified Lentis Mplus multifocal IOL was explanted from all eyes and replaced with a monofocal IOL in 21 eyes (57%) and multifocal IOL in 16 eyes (43%).  Secondary IOLs were implanted in the capsular bag or sulcus, or were iris-fixated.  IOL exchange was performed at a mean interval of 7 years after the primary surgery. Anterior vitrectomy was required for vitreous prolapse in 9 eyes (24%).  Mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) postoperatively was -0.02 + 0.08 logMAR for eyes with a monofocal secondary IOL and 0.02 + 0.08 logMAR for eyes with a multifocal secondary IOL.  Mean refractive prediction error was -0.57 + 0.67 D in the multifocal-monofocal group and -0.33 + 0.59 D in the multifocal-multifocal group.

An opacified multifocal IOL can be exchanged for a monofocal or multifocal IOL, depending on available capsular support and the patient’s desired refractive outcomes.  Vitreous prolapse requiring anterior vitrectomy is the most common intraoperative complication.  An improvement in visual acuity and a low postoperative complication rate was achieved in this cohort of patients.