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Aphakia

Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat · NLM MeSH · updated 2026-11-04 · version 1

Citations verified against PubMedNot yet clinician-reviewed10 referencesApproximately 5 min read

Absence of crystalline lens totally or partially from field of vision, from any cause except after cataract extraction.

Table of Contents

1. Definition2. Research landscape3. Reading the evidence4. Open-access studies5. Key reviews6. References7. About this article

Definition and research guide

This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.

Content available: 4 complete abstracts (1,023 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.

Definition

Absence of crystalline lens totally or partially from field of vision, from any cause except after cataract extraction. Aphakia is mainly congenital or as result of lens dislocation and subluxation.

Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.

Also known as: Aphakias; Aphakic Eye; Aphakic Eyes; Eye, Aphakic; Aphakic Eye, Traumatic; Eye, Traumatic Aphakic; Traumatic Aphakic Eye; Traumatic Aphakic Eyes.

Where it fits in the MeSH classification

Broader topics
Lens Diseases
Narrower topics
Aphakia, Postcataract

Related concepts

  • Lens Subluxation

Research landscape

PubMed indexes 3,047 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Aphakia” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 252 of them (8.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,878 records.

Reviews account for 156 records (5.1%) and meta-analyses for 12. Randomized controlled trials number 98 (3.2%) as a share of all records on the topic.

PubMed records by publication periodthrough 1999: 1,878 records; 2000-2009: 380 records; 2010-2019: 537 records; 2020 onward: 252 records1,878through 19993802000-20095372010-20192522020 onward
Records in PubMed indexed with this heading, by publication period. Real counts from NCBI E-utilities; the final period covers only part of the current year. Volume reflects how much has been published, not how strong the evidence is.
Show the data
PeriodRecords
through 19991,878
2000-2009380
2010-2019537
2020 onward252
Share of records by publication typeReviews: 5.1 percent; Meta-analyses: 0.4 percent; Randomized controlled trials: 3.2 percentReviews5.1% (156)Meta-analyses0.4% (12)Randomized controlled trials3.2% (98)
Share of all PubMed records on this heading that carry each publication type. Types overlap with other records, so the shares do not sum to 100%.
Publication-type chart data
Publication types among 3,047 PubMed records
TypeRecordsShare
Reviews1565.1%
Meta-analyses120.4%
Randomized controlled trials983.2%

Method: PubMed query "Aphakia"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.

Reading the evidence in eye, ear, nose and throat

Eye, hearing, nose and throat studies rely on specialist tests (visual acuity, eye pressure, audiograms, scopes) and on patient-reported symptoms, which vary between people and with age. Some conditions improve without treatment, so comparison groups matter. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; sudden loss of sight or hearing needs urgent care from a qualified clinician. Check how the outcome was tested, the age of the people studied and how long they were followed.

Evidence from open-access studies

These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.

Study comparison — selected abstracts, not a systematic review
Study / authorsYearSource label / designEurope PMC citationsLicence / source
Secondary intraocular lens implantation: a large retrospective analysis
Vounotrypidis E, Schuster I, Mackert MJ, Kook D, Priglinger S, Wolf A
2019Research article
Design not recorded in structured metadata
67cc by
PMID 30413876 · DOI · PMC6323072
Glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery--the role of early surgery and posterior capsulotomy
Michaelides M, Bunce C, Adams GG
2007Research article
Design not recorded in structured metadata
41cc by
PMID 17848200 · DOI · PMC2040130
Retropupillary Fixation of Iris-Claw Intraocular Lens for Aphakic Eyes in Children
Brandner M, Thaler-Saliba S, Plainer S, Vidic B, El-Shabrawi Y, Ardjomand N
2015Research article
Design not recorded in structured metadata
25cc by
PMID 26110864 · DOI · PMC4482151
Retropupillary Iris-fixated versus Sutured Scleral-fixated Intraocular Lenses
Hristova R, Cholakova D, Oscar A, Wowra B, Dzhelebov D, Zdravkov Y
2024Research article
Design not recorded in structured metadata
2cc by
PMID 38617724 · DOI · PMC11007560

Secondary intraocular lens implantation: a large retrospective analysis [1]

Research article Vounotrypidis E, Schuster I, Mackert MJ, Kook D, Priglinger S, Wolf A · · 2019 · cited 67 times (Europe PMC)

Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
Opening excerpt
PurposeTo investigate preoperative ocular risk factors and indications for secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and compare postoperative complications, visual and refractive outcomes in a tertiary referral center.
Closing excerpt
Refractive outcomes depend on indication for surgery and fixation type, with retropupillary IC-IOLs providing the best refractive results, though not statistically significant compared to other IOL positions.
Interpretation limits
Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (262 words)

PurposeTo investigate preoperative ocular risk factors and indications for secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and compare postoperative complications, visual and refractive outcomes in a tertiary referral center.MethodsPatients older than 14 years that underwent secondary IOL implantation and had a minimum follow-up of 3 months were enrolled in this retrospective case series. Preoperative ocular risk factors, indications for surgery, postoperative complications, and visual and refractive outcomes including prediction error (PE) and absolute error (AE) were evaluated. IOLs were fixated in following positions: anterior chamber (AC), retropupillary iris-claw (IC), sulcus, and capsular bag or sclera.ResultsOne-hundred eighty-two eyes of 174 patients with mean follow-up of 17 ± 13.6 months were evaluated. Leading cause for surgery was IOL dislocation (75%), followed by secondary aphakia (19%) and IOL opacifications (6%). Previous vitrectomy was the major preoperative ocular risk factor (43%). Mean corrected distance visual acuity improved from preoperative 0.68 ± 0.55 to 0.42 ± 0.31LogMAR by the last follow-up (p = 0.001). PE and AE differed highly depending on the indication for surgery (p = 0.041 and p = 0.008, respectively) and the IOL fixation (p = 0.011 and p = 0.028, respectively), with IC-IOLs showing the lowest PE and AE. Postoperative AC-hemorrhage occurred mainly after IC-IOLs (p = 0.003), and postoperative hypotony was significantly higher in eyes with previous uveitis (p = 0.026).ConclusionsPrevious vitrectomy seems to be a major underreported risk factor in eyes that undergo secondary IOL implantation. Refractive outcomes depend on indication for surgery and fixation type, with retropupillary IC-IOLs providing the best refractive results, though not statistically significant compared to other IOL positions.

Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30413876 · DOI · PMC6323072

Glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery--the role of early surgery and posterior capsulotomy [2]

Research article Michaelides M, Bunce C, Adams GG · · 2007 · cited 41 times (Europe PMC)

Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
Opening excerpt
BackgroundTo determine the rate of glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital (MEH), and to investigate potential risk factors for glaucoma in our case series.
Closing excerpt
Our data suggest that an intact posterior capsule may be associated with a lower rate of AG.
Interpretation limits
Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (348 words)

BackgroundTo determine the rate of glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital (MEH), and to investigate potential risk factors for glaucoma in our case series.MethodsA retrospective case notes review was undertaken of all congenital cataract lensectomies performed at MEH between 1994 and 2000. The following parameters were ascertained: age at surgery, unilateral or bilateral cataract, whether a posterior capsulotomy (PC) was performed at the time of surgery, whether an intraocular lens (IOL) was inserted, duration of follow-up, and if aphakic glaucoma (AG) developed. All lensectomies were performed through a limbal incision by a single consultant surgeon.ResultsA total of 47 subjects were identified - 40 patients with bilateral cataracts and 7 with unilateral. Of the 40 bilateral cataract patients, 76 eyes had lensectomies; with 37 of these patients (71 lensectomies) having at least 5 year follow-up. Based on patient count, the 5 year risk of AG in at least one eye following surgery was 21.6%. Based on eye count, the 5 year risk of AG after lensectomy was 15.5%. The average age at surgery of patients who did not develop AG, and had at least 5 years follow-up, was 28.7 months (range 2 weeks to 6 years), with 20% having surgery within the first month of life. In comparison, the average age at surgery of patients with at least 5 years follow-up, who developed AG was 1.6 months (range 2 weeks to 7 months), with 60% having surgery within the first month of life. In subjects with at least 5 years follow-up, a PC rate of 100% was identified in the eyes that developed AG, compared to 61% in eyes that did not develop AG. An IOL was inserted in O% of eyes with AG, compared to 57% in eyes that did not develop AG. Onset of AG ranged from one month post surgery to 7 years, with an average yearly incidence of 5.3%.ConclusionEarly surgery in patients with bilateral cataracts is associated with a marked increase in risk of AG. Our data suggest that an intact posterior capsule may be associated with a lower rate of AG.

Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 17848200 · DOI · PMC2040130

Retropupillary Fixation of Iris-Claw Intraocular Lens for Aphakic Eyes in Children [3]

Research article Brandner M, Thaler-Saliba S, Plainer S, Vidic B, El-Shabrawi Y, Ardjomand N · · 2015 · cited 25 times (Europe PMC)

Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
Opening excerpt
PurposeTo report outcome, complications and safety of retropupillary fixated iris-claw intraocular lenses in a pediatric population.
Closing excerpt
ConclusionOur study demonstrates that iris-claw intraocular lens implantation behind the iris is safe in children with lack of capsular support and yields excellent visual outcome with low complication rate.
Interpretation limits
Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (138 words)

PurposeTo report outcome, complications and safety of retropupillary fixated iris-claw intraocular lenses in a pediatric population.DesignRetrospective study.Patients and methodsTen consecutive pediatric patients (15 eyes) underwent placement of retropupillary fixated iris-claw intraocular lenses between October 2007 and July 2013 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Graz and General Hospital Klagenfurt, Austria. Postoperative visual acuity and complications were analyzed.ResultsMedian final best-corrected visual acuity improved by 0.12 logMAR from preoperative baseline. Mean postoperative spherical equivalent was -0.05 ± 1.76 D. No serious complications were observed intra- or postoperatively during the entire follow-up period of up to 40 months. One patient experienced a haptic disenclavation with IOL subluxation immediately after a car accident.ConclusionOur study demonstrates that iris-claw intraocular lens implantation behind the iris is safe in children with lack of capsular support and yields excellent visual outcome with low complication rate.

Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26110864 · DOI · PMC4482151

Retropupillary Iris-fixated versus Sutured Scleral-fixated Intraocular Lenses [4]

Research article Hristova R, Cholakova D, Oscar A, Wowra B, Dzhelebov D, Zdravkov Y · · 2024 · cited 2 times (Europe PMC)

Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
Opening excerpt
Aim: To compare the anatomical and functional results and patient satisfaction following retropupillary implantation of Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens (rAAIF) and sutured scleral fixated intraocular lens (SFIOL).
Closing excerpt
Abbreviations: AAIF = Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens, rAAIF = retropupillary Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens, CDVA = corrected distance visual acuity, ECD = endothelial cell density, IOL = intraocular lens, SD = standard deviation, SFIOL = scleral fixated intraocular lens.
Interpretation limits
Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (275 words)

Aim: To compare the anatomical and functional results and patient satisfaction following retropupillary implantation of Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens (rAAIF) and sutured scleral fixated intraocular lens (SFIOL). Subjects and methods: We presented a prospective double-arm non-blinded study. Forty-one eyes with acquired aphakia, no age-related macular degeneration, no previous keratoplasty, no combined procedures, no AC reaction (cells, fibrin), normal intraocular pressure, no history of endothelial corneal dystrophy in relatives or fellow eye were included. Indications, complications, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), endothelial cell density (ECD), and patient satisfaction score were assessed. Results: Retropupillary AAIF was implanted in 21 (51.22%) eyes and SFIOL in 20 (48.78%) eyes. The most common indication was complicated cataract surgery in 18 cases (43.90%), followed by trauma in 16 (39.02%), and spontaneous dislocation in 7 (17.07%). No difference between rAAIF and SFIOL in terms of sex, laterality (χ=0.13, p=0.72), indications (χ=0.78, p=0.68), previous ocular history, and comorbidities was observed. The complications and the visual outcomes at 6 months postoperatively were similar between the two groups (p=0.95 and p=0.321, respectively). The ECD loss in the two groups was also similar (p=0.89). The patient satisfaction score was 58.67±8.80 in the rAAIF and 56.69±11.50 in the SFIOL group, which was statistically similar (p=0.764). Conclusion: Retropupillary AAIF and SFIOL showed similar results concerning visual acuity, endothelial cell loss, and patient satisfaction. Careful preoperative individual assessment is required to have optimal results with either technique. Abbreviations: AAIF = Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens, rAAIF = retropupillary Artisan Aphakia iris-fixated intraocular lens, CDVA = corrected distance visual acuity, ECD = endothelial cell density, IOL = intraocular lens, SD = standard deviation, SFIOL = scleral fixated intraocular lens.

Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 38617724 · DOI · PMC11007560

Key reviews and meta-analyses

The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.

  • Research article Intraocular lens implantation in the absence of capsular support: a report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology [5]
    Wagoner MD, Cox TA, Ariyasu RG, Jacobs DS, Karp CL, American Academy of Ophthalmology · Ophthalmology · 2003 · cited 343 times (Europe PMC)
  • Research article Extended Depth-of-Field Intraocular Lenses: An Update [6]
    Kanclerz P, Toto F, Grzybowski A, Alio JL · Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila) · 2020 · cited 162 times (Europe PMC)
  • Research article Does primary intraocular lens implantation prevent "aphakic" glaucoma in children? [7]
    Asrani S, Freedman S, Hasselblad V, Buckley EG, Egbert J, Dahan E, et al. · J AAPOS · 2000 · cited 123 times (Europe PMC)
  • Research article Sutured posterior chamber intraocular lenses: indications and procedure [8]
    Hannush SB · Curr Opin Ophthalmol · 2000 · cited 66 times (Europe PMC)
  • Research article Update on Intraocular Lens Formulas and Calculations [9]
    Xia T, Martinez CE, Tsai LM · Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila) · 2020 · cited 64 times (Europe PMC)
  • Research article Update on congenital cataract surgery management [10]
    Lim ME, Buckley EG, Prakalapakorn SG · Curr Opin Ophthalmol · 2017 · cited 45 times (Europe PMC)

References

  1. Vounotrypidis E, Schuster I, Mackert MJ, Kook D, Priglinger S, Wolf A. Secondary intraocular lens implantation: a large retrospective analysis. . 2019. PMID 30413876 · DOI · PMC6323072
  2. Michaelides M, Bunce C, Adams GG. Glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery--the role of early surgery and posterior capsulotomy. . 2007. PMID 17848200 · DOI · PMC2040130
  3. Brandner M, Thaler-Saliba S, Plainer S, Vidic B, El-Shabrawi Y, Ardjomand N. Retropupillary Fixation of Iris-Claw Intraocular Lens for Aphakic Eyes in Children. . 2015. PMID 26110864 · DOI · PMC4482151
  4. Hristova R, Cholakova D, Oscar A, Wowra B, Dzhelebov D, Zdravkov Y. Retropupillary Iris-fixated versus Sutured Scleral-fixated Intraocular Lenses. . 2024. PMID 38617724 · DOI · PMC11007560
  5. Wagoner MD, Cox TA, Ariyasu RG, Jacobs DS, Karp CL, American Academy of Ophthalmology. Intraocular lens implantation in the absence of capsular support: a report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmology. 2003. PMID 12689913 · DOI
  6. Kanclerz P, Toto F, Grzybowski A, Alio JL. Extended Depth-of-Field Intraocular Lenses: An Update. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2020. PMID 32511121 · DOI · PMC7299221
  7. Asrani S, Freedman S, Hasselblad V, Buckley EG, Egbert J, Dahan E, et al.. Does primary intraocular lens implantation prevent "aphakic" glaucoma in children?. J AAPOS. 2000. PMID 10675869 · DOI
  8. Hannush SB. Sutured posterior chamber intraocular lenses: indications and procedure. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2000. PMID 10977767 · DOI
  9. Xia T, Martinez CE, Tsai LM. Update on Intraocular Lens Formulas and Calculations. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2020. PMID 32501896 · DOI · PMC7299214
  10. Lim ME, Buckley EG, Prakalapakorn SG. Update on congenital cataract surgery management. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2017. PMID 27653605 · DOI

About this article

Sources
NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
Verification
Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
Review state
automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
Version
1, last updated 2026-11-04.

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Related research topics

  • Lens SubluxationEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • EyeAnatomy and Physiology
  • AstigmatismEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • AsthenopiaEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • Meibomian Gland DysfunctionEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • CataractEye, Ear, Nose and Throat

All 51 articles in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat →

At a glance

3,047
PubMed records on this heading
8%
published since 2020
156
review articles
98
randomized trials
10
verified references below

Counts come from PubMed on 2026-11-04; they show how much has been written, not how strong the evidence is.

Related topics See all →

  • Lens SubluxationEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • EyeAnatomy and Physiology
  • AstigmatismEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • AsthenopiaEye, Ear, Nose and Throat
  • Meibomian Gland DysfunctionEye, Ear, Nose and Throat

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