Intraocular Pressure-Lowering Effect of Intraocular Lens Refixation in Patients with Elevated Intraocular Pressure Due to Intraocular Lens Subluxation

Abstract

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) refixation with vitrectomy in patients with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) due to IOL subluxation. Materials and Methods: Patients with elevated IOP due to IOL subluxation who had undergone IOL refixation with vitrectomy between 1 June 2013 and 31 December 2023 were retrospectively evaluated. The primary outcome measure was surgical success or failure. Surgical success was defined as a reduction of ≥20% in the preoperative IOP or IOP ≤ 21 mmHg (criterion A), IOP ≤ 18 mmHg (criterion B), or IOP ≤ 15 mmHg (criterion C). Reoperation, loss of light perception, and hypotony were considered as surgical failure. The IOP, number of glaucoma medications used, postoperative complications, and visual acuity were evaluated as the secondary outcomes. The surgical outcomes were compared between the glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OH) groups. Results: At 12 months postoperatively, the probability of success was 72.5%, 54.1%, and 28.4% using criterion A, B, and C, respectively, and the mean IOP and mean number of glaucoma medications used had decreased significantly (p < 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). Furthermore, the cumulative success rate was significantly higher in the OH group than in the glaucoma (100% vs. 47.4%; p < 0.01) when using criterion A. Additional glaucoma surgery was required only in the glaucoma group. Conclusions: IOL refixation surgery significantly decreases the IOP and number of glaucoma medications required in patients with elevated IOP due to IOL subluxation. Thus, IOL refixation surgery alone without glaucoma surgery might be effective as the primary procedure in such patients.