Intraocular Lens Power Calculation in the Triple Procedure

Overview

Purpose:
To evaluate the successfulness of intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation and refractive error after the triple procedure.

Methods:
During the period 1995–2004, the triple procedure was performed in 51 eyes of 43 patients aged 29–83 years (mean 66 years) with corneal disease and cataract. For the IOL power calculation, the SRK II formula was used. In case of impossibility to measure the keratometry, the data from the other eye, or the value 7.7 mm were used. The donor cornea was punched by trephine with the diameter 0.50 mm (in 88.2 % of eyes) or 0.25 mm (in 11.8 % of eyes) larger than for the recipient cornea. In 30 eyes (58.8 %), the interrupted suture was used, in 21 eyes (41.2 %) the running suture was employed. In 33 % of eyes, the PMMA IOL was implanted, in 18 eyes (35.3 %) the hydrophilic acrylate IOL. The final refraction and visual acuity was evaluated 13 – 24 months (mean, 17.1 months) after the surgery, and always after the suture removal.

Results:
The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ranged 0.1 – 1.0 (mean, 0.4 ± 0.2). BCVA 0.5 or better was achieved in 26 eyes (51.0 %). The spherical equivalent of postoperative refractive error less or equal to 2 dioptres was achieved in 35 eyes (68.6 %) and ranged from 0.0 to 3.6 dioptres (mean, 1.4 ± 1.1 dioptres).

Conclusion:
According to the final refraction of the eye, the use of our method of IOL power calculation in the triple procedure is satisfying and its results are comparable with results published in the literature.

Key words:
cataract, keratoplasty, IOL, calculation, triple procedure