University of Iowa Health Care

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

EyeRounds.org

EyeRounds Online Atlas of Ophthalmology

Contributor: William Charles Caccamise, Sr, MD, Retired Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

*Dr. Caccamise has very generously shared his images of patients taken while operating during the "eye season" in rural India as well as those from his private practice during the 1960's and 1970's. Many of his images are significant for their historical perspective and for techniques and conditions seen in settings in undeveloped areas.

Category: Cataract

Intraocular lens (IOL) implant history

The history of IOL surgery to its present state of magnificent results is strewn with trial and error - and the resultant catastrophes. We encourage you to search Google for Ridley and IOL history and surgery. Also see Ridley's entry in Wikipedia

Intraocular lens (IOL) implant history

This totally destroyed eye represents the result of relatively early IOL surgery in the USA - the photo was taken in 1970. The patient was an interesting individual: he had read in Time magazine that a new type of IOL surgery was being offered in Pennsylvania. He proceded to have surgery on one eye with a catastrophic result. Had he learned a lesson - had the surgeon learned a lesson? No!! Neither had learned from the first operation. He proceded to have the same operation on the second eye. The result was again catastrophic.

IOL surgery gone awry - 1970

The top photo showed the results of IOL surgery on one eye. This photo shows the results of IOL surgery on the remaining eye. Removal of the IOL was done in the approach to retinal detachment. Retinal surgery resulted in reattachment of the retina. However, significant bullous keratopathy developed postoperatively.

In the early years of IOL surgery in the USA, bullous keratopathy was an all too frequent complication of the implant surgery. Removal of the IOL was frequently necessary - especially in the case of the popular anterior chamber IOL.

Leiske IOL - a part of the intraocular lens history

Leiske IOL - a part of the intraocular lens history

The Leiske lens was an important part of cataract surgery.

The Leiske IOL was initially an extremely popular IOL. It permitted the established intracapsular cataract surgeon to continue with his beloved intracapsular technique while stepping into the modern era of the IOL. The Leiske lens consisted of two portions, i.e. the optic and the haptics. In the photo, the optic can be seen. The Leiske lens was an anterior chamber lens. As time went on, most of the Leiske lenses had to be removed because of untoward cornea and iris reactions.

 

Intraocular lens (IOL) implant history


Creative Commons License
Ophthalmic Atlas Images by EyeRounds.org, The University of Iowa are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

last updated: 02-08-2008