Refractive Results of Hyperopic Hydrogel Intracorneal Lenses in Primate Eyes

Abstract
• Hyperopic hydrogel intracorneal lenses were successfully implanted into 27 of 33 primate eyes. All eyes were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at monthly intervals for clinical appearance and refractive alteration. In a preliminary surgical series, several factors, such as tight sutures and implant design, resulted in a poor refractive yield. The final surgical series used a microkeratome with a pediatric microkeratome ring for smooth interface cuts, interrupted suturing with sufficient tension to align the wound without compression, a suture through the lens to prevent its dislocation, and intraoperative keratometry to reduce postoperative cylinder. The predicted vs measured refractive alteration for a range of 6 to 20 diopters had a correlation coefficient of.95. Keratometry changes correlated to the refractive changes with a coefficient of.97 but understated the change in refraction created by the surgery.