A comparative study of transscleral sutured intraocular lens fixation and sutureless flanged intraocular lens fixation

BACKGROUND: To compare the intraocular lens (IOL) tilt and decentration and visual outcomes of transscleral sutured IOL fixation and sutureless flanged IOL fixation. To investigate the influence of IOL tilt and decentration on internal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) in these two techniques. METHODS: Patients who received transscleral sutured or sutureless flanged IOL fixation procedures were included in this prospective, non-randomized, comparative study. Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was measured at baseline and at every postoperative visit for 12 months. IOL tilt and decentration were measured using a second-generation anterior segment optical coherence tomography (Casia2) and internal HOAs were measured using iTrace Visual Function Analyzer at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The study included 27 eyes from the transscleral sutured IOL fixation group and 26 eyes from the sutureless flanged IOL fixation group. There was no significant difference in CDVA between the two groups at all time points. The two groups did not differ in refractive difference from the predicted value, corneal endothelial cell loss, IOL tilt, IOL decentration, internal astigmatism or internal HOAs. Vertical IOL decentration significantly correlated with total internal optical aberration (r = 0.288, P = 0.036), total internal HOA (r = 0.440, P = 0.001), internal coma (r = 0.348, P = 0.001), vertical internal coma (r = 0.388, P = 0.004), average height of modulation transfer function (r = − 0.364, P = 0.007) and Strehl ratio (r = − 0.297, P = 0.031). Horizontal IOL decentration significantly correlated with horizontal internal coma (r = 0.312, P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Transscleral sutured IOL fixation and sutureless flanged IOL fixation had similar IOL positions and visual outcomes. IOL decentrations correlated with internal HOAs and thus should be avoided.