Intraocular lens tilt and decentration in congenital ectopia lentis: baseline characteristics and first-year report

AIM: To investigate the characteristics and associated factors of intraocular lens (IOL) tilt and decentration after transscleral suture-fixated IOL surgery in congenital ectopia lentis (CEL). METHODS: CEL patients undergoing transscleral suture-fixated IOL surgery were divided into two groups based on implanted IOL type (three-piece IOL or one-piece IOL). The IOL tilt and decentration at 3-month and 1-year postoperative were measured. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the associated factors of IOL tilt and decentration as well as longitudinal changes. RESULTS: The 61 CEL patients (mean age 9.07±5.05y) in three-piece IOL (M/F: 14/7) group had a greater tilt than those with one-piece IOL (M/F: 28/12) group both at 3-month postoperative (horizontal: P=0.024; vertical: P=0.048) and 1-year postoperative (horizontal: P=0.011; vertical: P=0.001). Three-piece IOL group had a greater longitudinal change between 3-month postoperative to 1-year postoperative in IOL tilt (horizontal: P=0.028; vertical: P=0.026) and a greater longitudinal change in horizontal IOL decentration than one-piece IOL group (P<0.05). The longer axial length (AL) was associated with the longitudinal changes in IOL tilt (P=0.039), while the three-piece IOL was associated with the longitudinal changes in horizontal IOL decentration 1-year postoperatively (P=0.011). CONCLUSION: IOL tilt is greater in the three-piece IOL group than that in the one-piece IOL group 1-year postoperatively. The three-piece IOL is associated with greater longitudinal changes of IOL decentration, while longer AL is associated with longitudinal changes of IOL tilt. For CEL patients, more stable IOL type should be selected and patients with longer AL warrant closer monitoring.