Implantable contact lens for high myopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• High myopia presents significant visual impairment challenges.
• Current refractive correction methods have limitations for severe myopia.
• Phakic intraocular lenses offer a potential alternative for correcting high myopia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy, safety, and biocompatibility of the Staar Collamer implantable contact lens (ICL) for correcting high myopia.
• Evaluate visual acuity, refractive outcomes, and complication rates following ICL implantation.
• Measure the inflammatory response to the ICL using laser flare photometry.

Main Methods:

• Implantation of Staar Collamer posterior chamber phakic IOLs in 38 eyes of 22 patients with high myopia (mean -15.10 D).
• Surgical procedure involved a 3.0 mm clear corneal sutureless incision under paraocular anesthesia.
• Clinical follow-up up to 3 years, with refractive data and complication monitoring; laser flare photometry used to assess inflammation.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in uncorrected visual acuity post-surgery, enabling spectacle independence for most patients.
• Mean spherical equivalent refraction achieved was -2.00 D, with 81.6% within +/-1.00 D of target refraction at 1 year.
• Excellent biocompatibility observed, with normal aqueous flare values; however, rare complications like pupillary block glaucoma (7.9%) and cataract (2.6%) occurred.

Conclusions:

• ICL implantation demonstrates good visual and refractive outcomes with excellent biocompatibility at 1 year.
• The procedure is effective in correcting high myopia, significantly improving patient vision.
• Long-term follow-up is essential to fully ascertain the incidence of late-onset complications.