Intraocular Lens Calcifications After (Triple-) Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: To identify incidence of and risk factors for calcifications of intraocular lenses (IOLs) after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS: Retrospective review of charts and slit-lamp images of 564 consecutive patients from the prospective Cologne DMEK database who underwent DMEK in pseudophakic eyes or DMEK in combination with cataract surgery (triple-DMEK) between September 3, 2013 and October 30, 2015 at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne.

RESULTS: IOL calcifications after (triple-)DMEK occurred in 14 patients (2.5%). Visual acuities in affected and unaffected eyes were 0.33 ± 0.24 logMAR and 0.16 ± 0.01 logMAR after 3 months (P < .001) as well as 0.28 ± 0.16 logMAR and 0.13 ± 0.08 logMAR (P < .001) after 6 months, respectively. The proportions of triple-DMEK vs DMEK, the use of SF6 gas vs room air for anterior chamber tamponade, and the presence of hydrophilic vs hydrophobic acrylic IOLs were comparable in affected and unaffected eyes. Patients with IOL calcifications had higher rebubbling rates than patients without. Larger pupil diameters at the time of surgery showed a tendency to slightly larger areas of IOL calcifications.

CONCLUSIONS: IOL calcifications after anterior chamber gas tamponade in DMEK lead to visual impairment and are associated with the number of rebubblings after DMEK. IOL calcifications also occur in hydrophobic acrylic IOLs.