Couching of cataractous lens in microphthalmic eyes with irido-fundal coloboma: revisiting the historical technique.

PURPOSE: Cataract surgery in microphthalmic eyes is challenging due to anatomical restraints, hard bulky nucleus. This series aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of couching of intraocular lens in irido-fundal coloboma with microphthalmos. SETTING: Tertiary care centre in South India. DESIGN: Retrospective non-comparative study in eyes with irido-fundal coloboma, corneal diameter < 7 mm and brown cataract. Visual acuity less than 6/60 in other eye. METHODS: Anterior chamber entry made, zonules broken and lens dislocated into the vitreous cavity in a controlled manner. Baseline Clinico-demographic details, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), Intra-ocular pressure (IOP), corneal diameter, axial length, lens status and post-surgery CDVA, IOP and complications recorded and followed up for atleast 6 months. RESULTS: Fifteen eyes of 15 subjects were evaluated with a mean age 49.4 ± 10.9 years. At baseline, mean IOP 14.5 ± 3.8 mmHg, mean axial length 19.3 ± 0.5 mm, mean corneal diameter was 6.5 ± 0.34 mm and CDVA 2 logMAR which improved to 1.5 logMAR at 3 months (p value 0.002). Transient spike in IOP in 33.3% subjects was medically managed with no significant difference in IOP (p > 0.05) at baseline (14.5 ± 3.8 mmHg), 3 months post-surgery (16 ± 2.8 mmHg) and 6 months post-surgery (14.9 ± 2.5 mmHg). One patient underwent re-couching. No other major complications were noted. CONCLUSION: Couching of cataractous lens is an effective and safe method in microphthalmic eyes with irido-fundal coloboma as last resort procedure, where no other surgical procedure may work. It provides an ambulatory gain of visual acuity in previously non-ambulatory subjects. Corneal measurements help in determining the subset of patients where couching offers viable option.

Outbreak of toxic anterior segment syndrome following vitreoretinal surgery - A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) is an uncommon complication of vitreoretinal surgery and is characterized by severe anterior chamber reaction, hypopyon, and limbus-to-limbus corneal edema. METHODS: Twenty-nine vitreoretinal surgeries were performed, of which 14 developed TASS in the early postoperative period. The operative records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 49.07 ± 16.75 years and 14.28% of them were female. Also, 71.42% were operated in the left eye and 42.8% were pseudophakic. Recurrent retinal detachment, secondary scleral-fixating intraocular lens (SFIOL), and silicone oil removal (SOR) were the most common procedures. Severe anterior chamber reaction was seen in 14 patients, circumcorneal congestion in eight, corneal edema in 11 (78.6%), hypopyon in 13 (92.8%), and severe fibrin membrane in two patients. CONCLUSION: We describe the largest series of TASS following uneventful vitreoretinal surgery. Balanced salt solution was the instigating agent in this series. A prompt and thorough investigation is critical in obviating recurrences.