Clinical Outcomes Of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Suture In Scleral-Fixated Intraocular Lens Implantation

To evaluate the clinical outcomes of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) suture use in sutured scleral-fixated intraocular lens (SF-IOL) implantation performed with the Z-suture technique.

Retrospective, single center study. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, and 6 months, 1 and 2 year and subsequently at 1-year intervals.

In this retrospective study, eight patients who underwent scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation using the Z-suture technique with double-armed 10-0 PVDF sutures and had a minimum postoperative follow-up of 24 months were included. The PVDF sutures were secured to the haptics of a three-piece hydrophobic MA60 intraocular lens. After passing the PVDF sutures through the sclera, the foldable IOL was inserted into the eye through a 4-mm corneal incision. The IOL was then fixated to the sclera using the Z-suture technique. Assessments included uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and anterior segment biomicroscopy.

The mean age of the patients was 63.9 ± 5.1 years. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 29.6 ± 4.7 months. Mean preoperative UCVA was 2.04 ± 0.45 logMAR, which improved to 0.85 ± 0.56 logMAR at postoperative at 2 year (p = 0.00014). Mean BCVA was 1.00 ± 0.56 logMAR preoperatively and 0.67 ± 0.63 logMAR at postoperative at 2 year (p = 0.475). During follow-up, no suture-related complications, persistent intraocular pressure elevation, IOL dislocation, or lens tilt were observed. Cystoid macular edema developed in two patients (25%) at postoperative month 1, and retinal detachment occurred in one patient (12.5%).

The use of PVDF sutures in sutured scleral-fixated IOL implantation appears to be a stable, effective, and safe technique in terms of suture-related complications. However, long-term outcomes should be evaluated in larger patient cohorts.