At a Glance Bag-in-the-lens (BIL) implants are becoming more advanced, but it’s equally important to expand the patient population able to receive them

Bean-shaped rings allow even patients with loose zonules or damaged capsular bags to receive BIL implants

The beans are implanted at the end of a BIL procedure to provide stability and centration while minimizing the need to suture

Patients with chronic diseases, ocular trauma or simply aging eyes may benefit from bean-shaped rings Fifteen years ago, the first intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted using the “bag-in-the-lens” (BIL) technique (1), and it has seen increased adoption since then. BIL implantation is of particular benefit in patients at risk of posterior capsule opacification (PCO), sandwiching the two layers of the capsule between the lens haptics, preventing the lenticular epithelial cells that cause opacification from entering the visual axis. Preventing PCO saves money by not only maintaining good vision after cataract surgery, but also by reducing the need for follow-up procedures such as YAG laser capsulotomy.

Read the full article now Log in or register to read this article in full and gain access to The Ophthalmologist’s entire content archive. It’s FREE and always will be! Login Email Password Forgot your password? Keep me logged in Log in Or register now - it’s free and always will be! You will benefit from: Unlimited access to ALL articles

News, interviews & opinions from leading industry experts

Receive print (and PDF) copies of The Ophthalmologist magazine Register Or Login via Social Media Twitter By clicking on any of the above social media links, you are agreeing to our Privacy Notice.

About the Author

Marie-José Tassignon

With four patents that have been implemented in clinical practice, Marie-José Tassignon is a keen proponent of the need for ophthalmologists to understand physiology and the physics of optics. She is Chief and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology of the Antwerp University Hospital – an institute where she is also Medical Director. One of her patents, for a bag-in-the-lens IOL, features in her article on rethinking the surgical approach to posterior capsulorhexis.