VISUAL OUTCOME AFTER MICROCOAXIAL PHACOEMULSIFICATION WITH MICRIOL PLUS LENS IMPLANTATION

Background: Study carried out in a tertiary care eye institute in North India with the aim of evaluating the visual outcome after Microcoaxial Phacoemulsification with MICRIOL PLUS lens implantation as well as to study the intraoperative and postoperative complications associated with the procedure. Methods: Prospective study conducted in one hundred cases over a period of one year. Patients with grade 1 to 3 nuclear and corticonuclear cataracts were included in the study after undergoing complete ophthalmic evaluation. Each patient underwent Microcoaxial Phacoemulsification using incision size of 2.2 mm and MICRIOL PLUS lens was implanted in each case using 'D' cartridge. Patients were followed up for a period of 6 months and visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy, IOL centration, capsule opacification were noted during follow up. Results: Microcoaxial Phacoemulsification was successfully performed in all 100 eyes. 93 % patients achieved a BCVA of 6/9 or better over a 6 month followup, the procedure being associated with low intraoperative and postoperative complications. Conclusions: Microcoaxial Phacoemulsification with MICRIOL PLUS lens is a safe and cost effective alternative surgical procedure for management of cataracts with excellent postoperative visual acuity and few intraoperative and postoperative complications.