Positional and rotational stability of the toric phakic intraocular lens under high +Gz environments.

BACKGROUND

Phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) implantation is a surgical option for correction of refractive errors. PIOLs can be use to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. It is a surgical option available to patients in addition to methods such as laser cornea refractive surgery, e.g., laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK). Visian implantable collamer lens (ICL) are posterior chamber lenses which are surgically positioned in a phakic eye in the sulcus between the iris diaphragm and the natural crystalline lens.

CASE REPORT: This case report describes the stability of Visian toric ICL in a candidate with bilateral implants under high +Gz force exposure in a human centrifuge trainer. The subject was sequentially exposed to three incremental +Gz profiles of +5 Gz, +7 Gz, and +9 Gz. Pre- and post-+Gz exposure, ophthalmic examination revealed no ICL displacement, implant touch or induced cataract, or change in refractive error.

DISCUSSION: The rotational stability of the toric implants was also demonstrated by identical subjective refractions in both eyes taken pre- and post-+Gz, exposure. A search of the literature did not reveal any published articles on intraocular stability of ICL in the +Gz environment. This case report suggests that ICL may be considered an alternative to laser refractive surgery for patients subjected to a high +G, environment such as military aviators.