Recurrent vitreous hemorrhage after sutured posterior chamber intraocular lenses

Purpose: To describe the clinical course and management of patients with late vitreous hemorrhage after scleral suturing of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PCIOL). Methods: The authors reviewed patient demographics, ocular findings, and clinical course of six patients with late (>3 weeks) vitreous hemorrhage after sclera-sutured PCIOL. Intraoperative endoscopy was performed on two patients to better assess the haptic sulcus interaction. Results: Patient age ranged from 39 to 84 years (median 77 years). The interval between scleral suturing of the PCIOL and vitreous hemorrhage ranged from 3 weeks to 68 months (median 5 months). The number of hemorrhages ranged from one to four. The hemorrhage cleared spontaneously in three eyes. Three patients underwent surgery after the hemorrhages including sutured PCIOL removal with concurrent placement of an anterior chamber IOL (ACIOL) (two patients) and resuturing of a PCIOL in a different meridian (one patient). Follow-up ranged from 4 to 36 months, median 19.5 months, starting from the time of the initial postsuturing vitreous hemorrhage. Final vision ranged from 20/20 to hand motions, with four eyes having 20/40 or better vision. Endoscopy revealed a haptic embedded into the pars plicata in one eye but no evidence of neovascularization. Conclusion: Recurrent vitreous hemorrhage may occur as a complication of scleral suturing of PCIOL. The etiology of these hemorrhages does not appear to be related to neovascular proliferation at the haptic suture site, but may be secondary to erosion of the haptic into uveal structures. Not all eyes require reoperation after these hemorrhages; however, good visual results may be achieved by replacing the sutured PCIOL with an ACIOL or by suturing the PCIOL in a different meridian.