Endophthalmitis rates after implantation of the intraocular collamer lens: survey of users between 1998 and 2006
Bruce D. Allan, MD, Isabel Argeles-Sabate, DO, Nick Mamalis, MD
An anonymous on-line survey was sent to 234 intraocular Collamer lens (ICL) (Staar Surgical)surgeons in 21 countries to determine how many of their ICL cases had been complicated by endoph-thalmitis between January 1998 and December 2006. A second questionnaire about the infectiondetails and treatment outcome was sent to those who reported cases of endophthalmitis. Ninety-five (40%) surgeons responded to the survey. They had implanted 17954 ICLs during the studyperiod. Three surgeons reported 1 case of endophthalmitis each, a rate of 0.0167% (95%) confi-dence interval 0 to 0.036%) or approximately 1 case of endophthalmitis per 6000 ICL implantations. Follow-up details were available in 2 cases. Staphylococcus epidermidis was cultured in both cases,and both were treated without loss of vision. Endophthalmitis may be less common after ICL implan-tation than after cataract surgery. Further studies are required to define the rate and prognosis forendophthalmitis after ICL implantation to assist in accurate preoperative patient counseling.
J Cataract Refract Surg 2009; 35:766–769 Q 2009 ASCRS and ESCRS
The intraocular Collamer lens (ICL) (Staar Surgical) is
The risk for permanent visual loss associated with
a posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens (pIOL)
surgery is an important facet of preoperative counsel-
made of a proprietary, flexible, synthetically cross-
ing before any intraocular procedure. Risk estimates
linked collagen polymeric (Collamer) material. The
are based on a variety of possible mechanisms for
IOL is placed in the sulcus through a 3.0 mm self-seal-
visual losbut intraocular infection rates are a key con-
ing incision. Previous studies show that the ICL has
sideration. There has been no attempt to derive a repre-
a good safety profile and effectively corrects myopia,
sentative figure for the rate of endophthalmitis after
myopic astigmatism, and hypermetropia.
pIOL implantation, and patient counseling on this as-pect of risk before ICL implantation is largely basedon contemporary data for endophthalmitis rates aftercataract surgery. These figures may overestimate or un-derestimate the risk associated with ICL implantation.
As an exclusive supplier, Staar Surgical has accurate
data on the number of ICLs supplied to each operating
From Moorfields Eye Hospital (Allan), London, United Kingdom;
surgeon. Using this data and an anonymous Internet-
Staar Surgical (Argeles-Sabate), Monrovia, California; and the
based questionnaire survey, we attempted to derive
John A. Moran Eye Center (Mamalis), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
a representative figures for the rate of endophthalmitis
Isabel Argeles-Sabate is the international medical advisor for Staar
after ICL implantation based on the number of ICLs
Surgical. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in
implanted by each surgeon surveyed and the number
of cases complicated by endophthalmitis within a de-fined study period (January 1998 to December 2006).
Presented in part at the XXVI Congress of the European Society ofCataract and Refractive Surgeons, Berlin, Germany, September2008.
Supported by an unrestricted grant from Staar Surgical, Monrovia,
The study protocol was reviewed by the Research Gover-
nance Committee at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London,United Kingdom. The survey was conducted in 21 countries
Corresponding author: Bruce Allan, MD, Moorfields Eye Hospital,
in which regional distributors had accurate records of cur-
City Road, London EC1V 2PD, United Kingdom. E-mail:
rent e-mail contacts for all ICL surgeons active in the study
period (January 1998 to December 2006) and the number of
SPECIAL REPORT: ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER ICL IMPLANTATION
ICLs each had implanted. Surgeons in the United States werenot included as the ICL was not approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration and therefore not marketed in the
Two hundred thirty-four surgeons were contacted by
e-mail with log-in details and a hyperlink to a secure Internet
site. Questionnaire items and instructions were available inEnglish, French, German, Italian, Korean, and Spanish on
the Internet site. Surgeons failing to respond to the initial
e-mail invitation were contacted each month for 2 months
(up to a total of 3 times). The e-mail invitation stated that
data recorded by responding surgeons would be used inan anonymous pooled analysis only and that no compari-sons between centers would be performed.
surgeons completed a follow-up questionnaire. In both
Main outcome measures were the number of ICL cases
of their cases, aqueous cultures were positive for Staphy-
performed in the study period and the number of endoph-thalmitis cases reported. Data on the number of ICLs im-
lococcus epidermitis. (Vitreous cultures were not per-
planted were derived from distributors’ records and
formed.) Surgery had been uneventful, and infection
corroborated by figures for ICLs supplied to each distributor
presented early in the postoperative course (1 case on
by Staar Surgical during the study period. The number of en-
day 3 and 1 on day 4). Treatment with intraocular and
dophthalmitis cases was derived from questionnaire re-
systemic antibiotic agents resulted in resolution of in-
Endophthalmitis was defined as intraocular inflammation
flammation with no loss in the preoperative best cor-
accompanied by pain, blurring, and a hypopyon occurring
rected visual acuity. The ICL was left in situ in both
between 24 hours and 2 weeks after surgery. This time win-
cases, and both had uneventful ICL implantation in the
dow was selected to avoid crossover with toxic anterior seg-
ment Responding surgeons were asked to record
Antibiotic prophylaxis preferences varied widely
the number of cases of endophthalmitis occurring in ICL pa-tients during the study period using a forced-choice drop-
(), with 43% of surgeons using no systemic,
periocular, or intraocular antibiotic drugs periopera-
The initial questionnaire also asked surgeons reporting
tively. Most surgeons operated in a private hospital
cases of endophthalmitis to tick a box if they were willing
(48%) or an ambulatory surgery center (39%) rather
to be contacted with a follow-up questionnaire addressing
than a public hospital setting (13%).
details of the investigation, treatment, and outcome of theendophthalmitis cases. A review of case notes was not re-quired for the initial questionnaire, but follow-up question-naires were completed with reference to case notes.
The initial questionnaire contained 2 items addressing
Table 2. Breakdown of responses by country.
perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis preferencesandthe surgical setting. Surgeons were asked to check boxes to
indicate whether their routine ICL surgery practice included
preoperative topical antibiotic agents, perioperative oralantibiotic agents, preoperative topical povidone–iodine,
intracameral cefuroxime, subconjunctival cefuroxime, and
postoperative topical antibiotic agents. Surgeons were also
asked to indicate the most commonly used surgical setting
for their ICL implantation procedures using a forced-choice
drop-down menu; the options were public hospital, private
hospital, and ambulatory surgery center.
Of the 234 surgeons invited to participate, 95 answered
the first survey, a 40% response rate. The 95 respon-
dents had implanted 17 954 ICLs during the study pe-
riod, approximately 50% of the total number of ICLs
Three surgeons in 3 countries reported 1 case of
endophthalmitis each, giving a crude rate of endoph-
thalmitis after ICL implantation of 3/17 954 or approx-
imately 1 case of endophthalmitis per 6000 ICLs
implanted (0.0167%; 95% confidence interval, 0-0.0356%or up to 1 case per 2800 ICLs implanted). Two of the 3
J CATARACT REFRACT SURG - VOL 35, APRIL 2009
SPECIAL REPORT: ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER ICL IMPLANTATION
multicenter studies in which a prospective reporting
system is used to monitor changes in endophthalmitis
rates over time,and surveys of large samples.All
rely on accurate diagnosis and reporting of endoph-
thalmitis casSingle-center studies and random-
ized trials may have more robust case reporting
systemsbut tend to have a smaller sample size
and therefore wider confidence intervals around the
Intraocular Collamer lens implantation is far less
Figure 1. Methods of antibacterial prophylaxis used routinely in ICL
commonly performed than cataract surgery. A large
implantation by responding surgeons (ICL Z intraocular Collamerlens).
multicenter study is therefore the only practical meansof obtaining a sample size large enough to generatea meaningful estimate of the endophthalmitis rate.
Our study addresses 2 important disincentives to ac-
The data presented are the first attempt to derive a rep-
curate reporting. First, respondents were reassured
resentative figure for the rate of endophthalmitis after
that data from their clinics would be used in pooled
ICL implantation independent of rates for other intra-
analyses only, not to compare outcomes between com-
ocular procedures, cataract surgery in particular. The
peting centers. Second, the survey was quick to com-
crude rate of 1 case per 6000 implantations is less
plete, electronic, and did not require reference to case
than that reported in large-scale contemporary studies
notes. Prospective reporting systems, including regis-
of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery (.
try studies, often require reference to case notes; the
However, caution is required in the interpretation. The
availability, completion, and submission of paper
methodology we describe requires participating sur-
forms for data collection; and considerable time invest-
geons to remember cases of endophthalmitis and to
ment for the responding surgeon. Serious ocular in-
respond to a survey accurately. Endophthalmitis is
flammation is rare after ICL implantation, and most
a sufficiently rare event in intraocular surgery that
implantations are carried out in a private setting
even with a relatively large sample, failure to report
with good continuity of care. Both these factors should
a small number of cases accurately would make a sig-
ensure accurate negative responses to the primary
nificant difference to the crude rate derived.
Methods used to derive contemporary figures for
A detailed follow-up questionnaire was sent to the 3
the endophthalmitis rate after cataract surgery
surgeons who reported cases of presumed endoph-
include large-scale randomized trisingle and
thalmitis. In addition to collecting visual outcomedata, the questionnaire was designed to ensurea good fit between cases reported and the definition
of endophthalmitis used. Two surgeons respondedto the follow-up questionnaire. Both of their cases
were culture positive and had a good visual outcome. Most studies of endophthalmitis rates also include cul-
ture-negative cases within set criteria.We are unableto comment on the status of the case for which the
follow-up questionnaire was not completed, but thiscase was included in the rate calculation to avoid
Despite the relative ease of responding to a brief
electronic questionnaire and 3 e-mail reminders, only40% of surgeons responded to the primary survey. Ac-
curate records were available to define the number of
ICLs implanted by each of the surgeons surveyed, and
the respondents accounted for approximately 50% ofall ICLs implanted in the study period. The 40% re-
Figure 2. The endophthalmitis rate (%) after ICL implantation com-
sponse rate, while suboptimal, compares well with
pared with the rates derived from a selection of studies of endoph-
18.0% and 15.5% response rates in recent American So-
thalmitis after cataract surgery.Error bars represent 95%confidence intervals (ESCRS
ciety of Cataract and Refractive Surgery electronic
Refractive Surgeons; ICL Z intraocular Collamer lens).
J CATARACT REFRACT SURG - VOL 35, APRIL 2009
SPECIAL REPORT: ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER ICL IMPLANTATION
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THE NEWSLETTER Datchet Health Centre JUNE 2012 Patient Participation Group Editor’s note Last March, in my first newsletter, I said that comments or questions will be welcomed if left, in writing, at Reception. Although there have been none, I have been asked if letters to the editor, intended for publication, are acceptable. My reply is “Of course”, provided that my decisio