Surgical Correction of Aphakia: Intraocular Lens Implantation and Epikeratophakia

ABSTRACT; The visual and refractive results of two surgical procedures for the correction of aphakia were compared restrospectively. One hundred eyes underwent secondary anterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and 43 eyes had epikeratophakia. The visual recovery after epikeratophakia was delayed compared with that following lens implantation, especially in persons over 60 years of age, and the refractive errors were less predictable. After 6 months, 90% of Pseudophakie eyes had visual acuities equal to or within one line of preoperative best-corrected acuity, compared with only 66% of eyes after epikeratophakia. Patient age is an important consideration in selecting the optimal procedure for visual rehabilitation of the contact lens-intolerant aphakic patient.