Comparison of glued versus Gore-Tex sutured intraocular lens implantation in eyes with inadequate capsular support: Visual outcomes and complications

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to compare clinical outcomes between a 4-point scleral fixation of hydrophobic intraocular lenses (IOLs) using Gore-Tex sutures and transscleral glued 3-piece IOL fixation technique. METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective comparative study, patients who had undergone either a 4-point scleral fixation using Gore-Tex sutures (Gore-Tex suture group) or transscleral glued 3-piece IOL fixation technique (transscleral glued group) were enrolled. Preoperative biometrics, postoperative refractive outcomes, and postoperative surgical complication rates were evaluated. A statistically significant difference between groups was indicated by P < 0.05. RESULTS: Fifty-one eyes underwent scleral fixation with Gore-Tex suture, and 36 eyes underwent scleral fixation using the glued technique. Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity was 0.2 (0, 0.7) logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) in the Gore-Tex suture group and 0.3 (0,0.6) logMAR in the transscleral glued group (nearly 20/32 and 20/40, respectively) ( P = 0.755). No significant difference was found between the mean prediction error of −0.16 D (range: −3.83 D to 1.91 D) in the Gore-Tex suture group and 0.42 D (range: −1.46 D to 3.34D) in the transscleral glued group ( P = 0.13). There was no difference in early and late postoperative complication rates between groups ( P = 0.271 and P = 0.165, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both 4-point scleral fixation using Gore-Tex suture and transscleral glued IOL fixation technique are practical approaches for managing aphakia or eyes with weak zonular support and have similar complication profiles.