Scleral fixation of intraocular lenses using MERSILENE suture

AbstractPurposeTo report the outcomes of the scleral fixation of intraocular lens using MERSILENE suture technique in the absence of adequate capsular bag supportMethodsWe report a retrospective study carried out in the ophthalmology department of Habib Thameur hospital (Tunis, Tunisia) of patients who underwent scleral fixation of Bausch and Lomb Akreos AO60 IOL using MERSILENE suture 5‐0. All patients were evaluated for surgical indication, complete ocular examination pre and postoperatively was performed including refractive status, intraocular pressure (IOP) as well as anterior segment evaluation and fundus examinationResultsWe included 12 eyes of 10 patients operated using the mentioned surgical technique. Surgical indication was Ectopia Lentis for 5 eyes, post‐traumatic lens dislocation for 3 eyes, post‐traumatic IOL dislocation for two eyes and surgical management of postoperative aphakia in two eyes. Best corrected visual acuity increased from 1.15 logMAR preoperatively to 0.49 logMAR at 6‐months postoperatively, with an average gain of 0.66 logMAR. Mean postoperative IOP was 15.5 mmHg. Complications included post‐operative hypotony in 3 eyes resolved with medical treatment, conjunctival inflammation and erosion due to an unburied knot after one month in 2 eyes managed with topical antibiotic and steroids followed by surgical burial of the knot.ConclusionsScleral fixation of Akreos AO60 IOL with MERSILENE suture is a safe, economical and well tolerated procedure leading to improvement of visual acuity. MERSIENE suture use appears to be effective and safe without suture‐related complication on the short‐term. However, long‐term assessment and comparative studies will be necessary to extend our results.