‘Piggybacking’ IOLs safer than IOL exchange

A review of recent literature on the management of residual refractive error after cataract surgery found that piggyback intraocular lens (IOL) implantation is safer than and more accurate than an IOL exchange.

Effectively comanaging femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery

Despite all of the inputs taken into consideration before surgery-accurate biometric analysis, selection and calculation of the adequate IOL, and modern surgical techniques-residual refractive error still occurs after cataract surgery.

According to the review’s authors, LASIK is the most accurate procedure to correct residual refractive error after cataract surgery. Lens-based procedures, IOL exchange or piggyback lens implantation, are also possible alternatives in cases with extreme ametropia, corneal abnormalities, or when excimer laser is not available.

“In this review, we found that piggyback IOL were safer and more accurate than IOL exchange,” the authors wrote.