Purpose: To describe 2 cases of corneal decompensation after iris-fixated phakic intraocular lens (pIOL) implantation requiring Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).
Materials and methods: Case reports and literature review.
Results: Two cases of corneal decompensation after pIOL implantation are reported. The average age at presentation was 52 years (range: 37 to 67 years) in 2 women. The mean presentation time of corneal decompensation after pIOL implantation was 29 months (range: 22 to 36 months). Both the affected eyes required pIOL explantation and DSAEK to treat corneal decompensation. One patient (1 eye) had concurrent cataract surgery to maximize visual rehabilitation. The mean follow-up after DSAEK surgery was 14 months (range: 12 to 16 months). The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/50 (range: 20/40 to 20/60) at the last follow-up.
Conclusions: Despite a good safety profile for iris-fixated pIOLs, some patients may still develop corneal decompensation after implantation. We report a pair of cases with corneal decompensation severe enough to warrant endothelial transplantation and pIOL explantation, with and without concomitant cataract surgery.