A Simple, Inexpensive, and Precise Photographic Method for Intraoperative Toric IOL Alignment

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Toric intraocular lenses (t-IOLs) are used to correct astigmatism during cataract surgery.
• Accurate alignment of t-IOLs is crucial for achieving the desired refractive outcome.
• Existing alignment methods may have limitations in precision and ease of use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the refractive outcome of toric intraocular lens (t-IOL) implantation.
• To evaluate a newly developed method of photographic alignment for t-IOLs.
• To assess the accuracy and effectiveness of image-guided t-IOL alignment.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 14 eyes from 10 patients undergoing t-IOL implantation.
• Utilized an Oculentis Tplus LS-313 t-IOL after phacoemulsification or femtocataract surgery.
• Employed a novel image-guided alignment technique involving slit lamp photography, digital overlay, and corneal limbus marking.

Main Results:

• Preoperative astigmatism averaged 2.50 D, significantly reduced to 0.16 D postoperatively (p < 0.001).
• Excellent correction was achieved: 64% of patients had zero residual astigmatism, 93% ≤ 0.5 D, and 100% ≤ 0.75 D.
• Postoperative visual acuity (uncorrected and best-corrected) showed significant improvement compared to preoperative best-corrected acuity (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The novel photographically guided technique provides highly accurate toric lens alignment.
• This method leads to precise astigmatic correction and improved visual outcomes.
• The technique is effective for achieving excellent refractive results in t-IOL implantation.