Clinicopathologic study of the effect of radial tears and loop fixation on intraocular lens decentration.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of loop fixation and anterior capsular tears on intraocular lens (IOL) decentration.

METHODS

A retrospective measurement of IOL decentration was performed on 144 human eyes with posterior chamber (PC) IOLs obtained after death.

RESULTS

Decentration in eyes with asymmetrical bag-sulcus fixation (mean +/- standard deviation, 0.64 +/- 0.39 mm) was significantly higher than eyes with symmetrical fixation. In the presence of radial tears, symmetrically fixated IOLs in either the capsular bag or the ciliary sulcus decentered to a similar degree, 0.35 +/- 0.25 mm and 0.4 +/- 0.26 mm, respectively. The least decentration was observed with capsular fixation and no radial tears (0.18 +/- 0.09 mm). This was significantly less decentration than with any other form of fixation in the presence of radial tears.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that capsular fixation with no radial tears, as can be achieved by using the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, is associated with the least decentration.