NOVEL APPROACH TO SCLERAL FIXATION OF A REPER INTRAOCULAR LENS AND ARTIFICIAL IRIS COMPLEX FOLLOWING PARS PLANA LENSECTOMY AND VITRECTOMY FOR ECTOPIA LENTIS AND CATARACT IN A PATIENT WITH ANIRIDIA AND NYSTAGMUS.

PURPOSE: Prosthetic iris devices have recently been used to improve cosmesis and reduce glare in aniridia. There is currently no consensus on which prosthetic iris device or which surgical approach is preferred for managing large iris defects. METHODS: A novel surgical approach with Gore-Tex polytetrafluoroethylene sutures was used to achieve scleral fixation of an intraocular lens and artificial iris complex in a 19-year-old Caucasian female patient with aniridia, nystagmus, cataracts, and ectopia lentis. RESULTS: Six weeks postoperatively, the intraocular lens-artificial iris complex remained well centered, and the vision in the left eye improved from 20/400 to 20/70. Two years after prosthetic iris device implantation, there have been no complications. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates a promising proof-of-concept for long-term management of complicated aniridia cases using an intraocular lens and artificial iris complex prosthetic iris devices. Gore-Tex sutures may be preferable to conventional polypropylene sutures because of their improved durability.