Vertically Fixated Posterior Chamber Phakic Intraocular Lens Implantation Through a Superior Corneal Incision.

Introduction: To assess the 1-year outcomes of vertically fixated posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation through a superior corneal incision.

Methods: This pilot study comprised 78 eyes of 53 consecutive patients undergoing vertically fixated implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation through a superior corneal incision to correct moderate to high myopia and myopic astigmatism. We prospectively determined the safety, efficacy, predictability, stability, and adverse events preoperatively, and at 1 week and 1, 3, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results: The mean follow-up period was 10.4 ± 5.4 months. Uncorrected and corrected visual acuity were -0.20 ± 0.10 and -0.25 ± 0.07 logMAR, respectively, at 1 year postoperatively. At 1 year postoperatively, 98% and 100% of eyes were within 0.5 and 1.0 D, respectively, of the targeted correction. A nonsignificant change in manifest refraction of -0.01 ± 0.08 D occurred from 1 week to 1 year. The manifest astigmatism decreased significantly, from 0.69 ± 0.73 D preoperatively to 0.21 ± 0.27 D at 1 year postoperatively (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001). No vision-threatening complications occurred at any time in this series.

Conclusions: According to our experience, the vertically fixated ICL through a superior incision achieved good results, without significant complications. Considering that younger patients requiring ICL surgery tend to have with-the-rule astigmatism, this surgical technique may be a viable option for reducing astigmatism without using toric ICLs.