Real-time assessment of intraoperative vaulting in implantable collamer lens and correlation with postoperative vaulting.

PURPOSE: To assess the intraoperative vaulting in patients undergoing implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation with microscope-integrated intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) and correlate it with the postoperative vaulting.

METHODS: Forty eyes of 22 consecutive patients undergoing ICL implantation were prospectively evaluated. Vaulting was measured intraoperatively using microscope-integrated iOCT. The ICL-lenticular relationship was dynamically assessed throughout the surgery. Postoperative vaulting was measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography on the first postoperative day and after 1 month and compared with the intraoperative vaulting. Uncorrected and best-corrected Snellen visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and anterior and posterior segments were assessed in all cases.

RESULTS: The mean central vaulting noted intraoperatively was 558.4 ± 122.8 µm. Postoperative mean vaulting was 576.0 ± 131.2 µm on day 1 and 551.1 ± 122.5 µm on day 30. There was a significant correlation between the intraoperative and the postoperative day 1 vaulting (paired samples correlation: 0.969, p<0.001) and day 30 vaulting (paired samples correlation: 0.945, p<0.001). An ICL-lenticular touch was not noted at any time during the surgery. The postoperative course was uneventful and no patient developed raised IOP or lenticular changes by the last follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative vaulting correlates well with postoperative vaulting and can aid in on-table detection of extremes of vaulting and decision-making. It enhances the safety of the surgical procedure by providing a real-time display of the intraoperative manipulations.