Posters

Calcification of silicone intraocular lens in an eye without asteroid hyalosis: a case report

Poster Details

First Author: C.Lin TAIWAN

Co Author(s):                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To describe a patient with calcification on the implanted silicone intraocular lens (IOL) in the absence of asteroid hyalosis.

Setting:

To observe a patient with the silicone IOL opacification and arrange IOL explanation and replacement.

Methods:

A case report of an 80 year-old diabetic woman presented with progressively blurred vision in her left eye. She had undergone uneventful cataract surgery with a foldable hydrophobic silicone IOL (LI61U, Bausch & Lomb) implantation in the bag 6 years ago.

Results:

On examination, her best-corrected visual acuity of left eye was 2/20. The whitish deposits mainly within the capsulotomy opening on the posterior optic surface were noted. Fundoscopy showed no specific findings other than proliferative diabetic retinopathy. She was arranged IOL explanation and replacement because of decreased visual acuity associated with the optic opacification. Light microscopy of explanted lens revealed the deposits were confluent in the central area with a crustlike appearance on the posterior optic surface. Shinning crystal-like materials within the opacity area were detected under polarized light examination. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrated the deposits forming amorphous crustlike layers and the composite of calcium and phosphate.

Conclusions:

This is a rare case report about opacification of silicone IOL in the absence of asteroid hyalosis. Although the mechanism of calcification has not been clear yet, this condition might be related to her proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which would trigger some growth factors within the vitreous body and increase Ca2+ concentration that deposit on the posterior surface of IOL. Patients with diabetes should be advised to avoid silicone IOL implantation following cataract extraction to prevent further optic opacification.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE