[Calculation of phakic intraocular lenses].

BACKGROUND

A high corneal astigmatism is a major limitation for the attainable visual acuity with spectacle or contact lens correction. In addition, people with higher ametropia may feel discomfort while wearing contact lenses or spectacles which leads to the desire for a permanent correction. Phakic intraocular lenses provide correction possibilities of higher spherocylindrical ametropies beyond those of corneal refractive surgery.

METHODS

For the calculation of toric phakic lenses the matrix formalism for calculation of toric pseudophakic implants is applied. The methods are presented and explained using clinically relevant data examples. A Java-based program JPhakicIOL was used for calculation of the examples and is provided online for teaching and experimental purposes.

CONCLUSIONS

Phakic IOLs can be calculated using a matrix scheme similar to the one used for toric pseudophakic implants. With the Java programme JPhakicIOL we provide a software tool to assist ophthalmologists in understanding and performing the phakic IOL calculation.