"Equator ring" for maintenance of the completely circular contour of the capsular bag equator after cataract removal.

We designed an "equator ring," a flexible silicone rod with a groove on its inner surface, to maintain the circular contour of the capsular bag equator after cataract removal. After cataract extraction, the ring is inserted in the bag through a 5.0-mm circular capsulorhexis or 4.5-mm linear "dumbbell" opening. Then a conventional posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) is inserted, with the IOL loops in the groove. The ring not only allows complete maintenance of the circular contour of the capsular bag equator for most conventional PC-IOLs, but also may prevent invasion of metamorphosed lens epithelial cells into the posterior capsule.