Implantation of a Corneal Inlay in Pseudophakic Eyes: A Prospective Comparative Clinical Trial

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical outcomes of bin-ocular cataract surgery with and without pinhole corneal inlay implantation. METHODS In the inlay cataract group, a small aperture corneal inlay was implanted in addition to cataract surgery in the non-dominant eye and routine cataract surgery was performed in the dominant eye. In the control group, conventional cataract surgery was performed in both eyes in separate consecutive surgeries 2 weeks apart. The target refraction was emmetropia. Visual acuity, refraction, contrast sensitivity, and visual field were analyzed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with advanced cataracts underwent cataract surgery on both eyes in separate surgeries. There was no statistically significant difference regarding mean age, Lens Opacities Classification System grading, and refractive outcome. The difference in uncorrected distance visual acuity between the con- trol group and inlay-cataract group was not statistically significant after 12 weeks (P = .59). Mean uncorrected intermediate visual acuity was significantly better in the inlay-cataract group (P = .03). Near visual acuity was better in the inlay-cataract group, but it was not statis- tically significant (P = .07). There was no statistically significant difference between groups under binocu- lar photopic and mesopic conditions with and without glare. The results of the visual field examination showed no statistically significant difference between both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that implantation of monofocal IOLs in combination with a small aperture corneal inlay in the non-dominant eye helps to increase intermediate and near visual acuity. The implantation of small aperture corneal inlays seems to be an interesting alternative for pseudophakic patients who desire spectacle independence.