Our experiences with the Scharioth macula lens (SML), a new hope for patients with dry macular degeneration

Session Details

Session Title: Endophthalmitis/ Ocular Infections/ Miscellaneous

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 10/10/2017 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 09:33

Venue: Room 4.6

First Author: : A.Bereczki HUNGARY

Co Author(s): :                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To share our experiences with the Scharioth Macula Lens (A45SML, Medicontur, Hungary), an implant designed to help to improve near vision of patients with non-exudative macular degeneration.

Setting:

Dr Bereczki Árpád Laser Eye Centre, Győr, Hungary

Methods:

A special hydrophilic acrylic IOL with a +10D central addition (A45SML) was implanted monocularly in the sulcus of the better-seeing eye of 15 pseudophakic patients (8 female, 7 male, average age: 66±9.6 years) with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 6 patients had previously neovascular AMD but with anti-VEGF treatment it was stabilized. Preoperative corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) test were used to predict prospective visual improvement. We evaluated the near visual acuities of patients up to 3 months postoperatively, as well as distance vision and the differences between the predicted and acquired improvement in CNVA.

Results:

CNVA with +2.5D addition was 0.17±0.07 preoperatively. Uncorrected near vision improved to 0.36±0.06 one week after surgery, and it was 0.45±0.11 six weeks, and 0.46±0.16 three months (3M) postoperatively. The predicted and postoperative near vision improvement (3 month results compared to preoperative CNVA with +2.5D addition) was 3.5 and 4.4 lines, respectively. The average uncorrected and corrected distance vision (UCDVA, BCDVA, respectively) did not change significantly after the implantation (UCDVA: 0.41±0.13 to 0.43±0.11 BCDVA: 0.46±0.12 to 0.43±0.12). One patient who had had stabilized wet AMD converted to neovascular AMD 3 months postoperatively, necessitating anti-VEGF therapy.

Conclusions:

In our center we have implanted a small group of patients with a sulcus IOL designed to act as a built-in magnifier for those suffering from certain types of non-neovascular maculopathies. Based on postoperative BCNVA results, preoperative testing of CNVA with a +2.5D and +6.0D addition can be a reliable tool to determine prospective postoperative visual improvement of patients. CDVA results suggest that the implant does not affect distance vision and we had very good uncorrected near visual acuity outcomes at 3 months. However, further follow-up is necessary to validate our results.

Financial Disclosure:

travel has been funded, fully or partially, by a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented