Background: Anterior chamber and iris-plane intraocular lenses (IOLs) have been implicated in causing corneal endothelial damage and progression to pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.
Methods: The authors performed IOL exchanges on 102 eyes with signs of early corneal decompensation or progressive endothelial cell loss associated with these anterior chamber or iris-plane IOLs. Replacement IOLs were posterior chamber lenses sutured to the iris (87 eyes), sutured to the sclera (3 eyes), or placed in the ciliary sulcus (12 eyes).
Results: Seventy-two eyes (71%) had the same or improved vision after a mean follow-up period of 18.6 months (range, 6 to 60 months). Only 24 eyes (23.5%) progressed to corneal decompensation. Of the eyes that decompensated, 75% had preoperative endothelial cell counts of 500 cells/mm2 or less (P < 0.0001), and 83% had preoperative signs of early corneal decompensation (P < 0.001). Biomicroscopic signs of early corneal decompensation seen preoperatively in 50 eyes resolved in 17 eyes (34%) and remained unchanged in 12 eyes (24%) at the last postoperative follow-up visit.
Conclusion: Removal of anterior chamber and iris-plane intraocular lenses in eyes showing signs of endothelial damage may prevent progression to pseudophakic bullous keratopathy if performed before a critical degree of endothelial cell loss or dysfunction has developed.