Correction of myopia by implantation of a concave worst-iris claw lens into phakic eyes

: The Worst-Fechner Biconcave Lens for the correction of myopia in phakic eyes is fixated to the anterior iris. Of the 125 eyes implanted between November 1986 and November 1990, 109 eyes ("core group") had a follow-up period of at least 12 months (mean, 25.0; range, 13 to 51). Sixty-eight of these eyes were reexamined at Giessen University Eye Clinic by an independent investigator using a laser flare cell meter; 23 of the eyes also were examined by iris fluorescence angiography. Seventy-five of the 109 eyes (68.8%) were corrected within 1.00 diopters of the desired refraction, and only 10 eyes (9.2%) deviated more than 2.00 D from the calculated correction. The anatomical results were characterized by good fixation, absence of glaucoma, inflammation, and leak from iris vessels. However, the corneal endothelium was damaged in five eyes by surgical trauma, three resulting in corneal edema. In addition, in five eyes the endothelial density decreased during the follow-up period despite an uncomplicated operation, resulting in corneal edema in one eye. These eyes may have had anterior chambers that were too shallow.