Purpose: To investigate the long-term visual outcome and the complication rate following transscleral suture fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (sutured PC-IOLs).
Design: A retrospective case-series descriptive study.
Methods: Records of patients who underwent combined pars plana vitrectomy and sutured PC-IOLs at Moorfields Eye Hospital and who had at least 12 months of follow-up were examined for recorded complications.
Results: Sixty-one eyes of 48 patients (33 males and 15 females) were identified and included in the analysis, with mean follow-up of 6 years. The mean final best-corrected visual acuity remained at preoperative levels (P=.211) and was largely determined by the underlying ocular pathology before sutured PC-IOL. Overall 30 of 61 (49%) eyes, two or more procedures were performed to reverse a significant peri- or postoperative complication. Breakage of polypropylene sutures was the main indication accounting for 17 of 30 (57%) of those reoperations. Subgroup analysis showed that younger patients were more likely to suffer the above complication (P=.009). The multivariate analysis also showed that longer follow-up was significantly associated with suture breakage (P=.014), with the mean time to breakage approximately 4 years after surgery.
Conclusions: Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing sutured PC-IOLs appears to be associated with a high rate of postoperative complications and significant need for further surgery, which should be discussed during their informed consent process.