The rising number of cases requiring intraocular lens (IOL) exchange, including those for refractive reasons, drives the search for methods to minimize the trauma of the procedure. Lens implants with modular optics may lower complication risks.

PURPOSE

To test the use of modular IOL on a laboratory animal in an experiment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A novel modular IOL was implanted into rabbit eyes in disjointed form with subsequent intraocular assembling. Presence of long-term side effects of implantation and possibility of atraumatic optical disk exchange were evaluated 4 months after the surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 3 rabbit eyes underwent IOL implantation surgery, no technical difficulties were encountered. Postoperatively two eyes were quiet with proper central IOL position and no deformations in the haptic and optical parts. Epithelial cell proliferations did not hinder intraocular disassembly/assembly of the modular IOL. Optical disk spontaneously dislocated into anterior chamber in one eye, with subsequent chronic inflammation and corneal edema. In the late postoperative period, no difficulties were observed in disconnecting the optical part from the haptic ring and their coupling. Optical disk exchange did not require extensive handling of the haptic, except that of fixation leaflets during release/capture of the optics. Mechanical impact of the procedure on the lens capsule and Zinn’s zonule fibers was minimal.

CONCLUSION

The experiment has validated the functionality and feasibility of the modular IOL principle designed to lower the threshold for decisions on IOL exchange in postoperative correction of clinical refraction. In most cases, rabbit eyes were demonstrated to exhibit long-term stable fixation, relative ease and safety of optical disk exchange eliminating the need for traumatic capsular bag manipulations.