PURPOSE: To study the cytopathological features of explanted intraocular lenses (IOLs) and correlate the features with their clinical presentation. SETTING: Ocular Pathology Department, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India. METHODS: The study comprised 61 explanted IOLs (48 posterior chamber IOLs and 13 anterior chamber IOLs) removed for the following reasons: pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (36), recalcitrant uveitis (7), retinal detachment (10), endophthalmitis (5), uveitis (7), IOL subluxation (2), and painful blind eye (1). The IOLs were stained with hematoxylin and eosin using a simple cytological technique. The cytopathological features were studied and correlated with the clinical presentations. RESULTS: The mean time of IOL explantation was 10.1 months after surgery. Twenty-one IOLs had granulomatous and nongranulomatous inflammations and 4, nongranulomatous inflammations. One IOL had fungal filaments on the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular lenses can produce both granulomatous and nongranulomatous inflammation. Granulomatous inflammation was the most common in this series. The surface of IOLs explanted because of intraocular infection may show infective agents.
PURPOSE: To study the cytopathological features of explanted intraocular lenses (IOLs) and correlate the features with their clinical presentation. SETTING: Ocular Pathology Department, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India. METHODS: The study comprised 61 explanted IOLs (48 posterior chamber IOLs and 13 anterior chamber IOLs) removed for the following reasons: pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (36), recalcitrant uveitis (7), retinal detachment (10), endophthalmitis (5), uveitis (7), IOL subluxation (2), and painful blind eye (1). The IOLs were stained with hematoxylin and eosin using a simple cytological technique. The cytopathological features were studied and correlated with the clinical presentations. RESULTS: The mean time of IOL explantation was 10.1 months after surgery. Twenty-one IOLs had granulomatous and nongranulomatous inflammations and 4, nongranulomatous inflammations. One IOL had fungal filaments on the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular lenses can produce both granulomatous and nongranulomatous inflammation. Granulomatous inflammation was the most common in this series. The surface of IOLs explanted because of intraocular infection may show infective agents.