Researchers recently found intraocular collamer lens (ICL) implantation for myopia has long-term stability and good refractive results. It was also particularly safe in patients younger than age 30 in terms of long-term cataract formation, according to the research published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

The team retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 110 eyes of 60 patients who underwent ICL implantation and divided them into two groups according to the development of lens opacity during the 10-year follow-up period: the lens opacity group and the clear lens group. They then evaluated preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, spherical equivalent (SE), endothelial cell density (ECD) and intraocular pressure (IOP) as well as postoperative vault and complication rate.

The study authors found that the mean preoperative SE was -12.01±3.70D, while the mean postoperative SE was -0.65±1.09D. They did not detect any significant changes in ECD or IOP during the follow-up period. They note that the vault height decreased from 562.4±175.9um six-months post-op to 352.9±171.8um at the 10-year mark, adding that the mean vault height of the lens opacity group was significantly lower than that of the clear lens group four years post-ICL implantation. The team observed lens opacity in 21 eyes (12.1%), none of which belonged to patients younger than 30.