Cryoextraction of dislocated lenses.

Twenty-two dislocated lenses were removed using cryoextraction. They occurred in a consecutive series of 1,800 planned intracapsulars. Included in the complete series were 16 dislocated lenses in 3 groups: Marfan's syndrome, homocystinuria and congenital types of dislocations. None of these were removed since the patient's vision was adequate in each case. These patients are still under observation. In one case, we used the Hagler-Calhoun double pronged needle. We think this procedure is entirely too traumatic. In 21 cases, the dislocated lenses were removed intracapsularly. In one instance, the lens nucleus had been dislocated in an earlier operation, and there was advanced secondary glaucoma. The lens was removed with cryosurgery, resulting in a useful eye with no pain. Cryoextraction of dislocated lenses is the least traumatic surgical approach and is the method of choice.