Managing Small-Pupil Cataract Surgery with Pupil Expander

One of the greatest challenges faced by ophthalmologists is performing surgery on small-pupil eyes as they make every step of the surgery more complex and problematic. A small pupil not only reduces the visualization of the lens but also limits the size of capsulorhexis, increases the risk of iatrogenic iris damage and iris-related inflammation during cataract surgery which can result in poor visual results and an unhappy patient.  An adequately-sized capsulorhexis with proper exposure to the surgical field facilitates ease of surgery. For these reasons, pupil expansion devices are essential tools in cases of small non-dilating pupils as they help in the effective opening of these troublesome pupils. Without these expansion devices, small pupils can cause problems like intraoperative bleeding, sphincter tears, and posterior capsular or nucleus drop in extreme cases. One such device is I-Ring Pupil Expander by Beaver-Visitec, which is known for its unique design and promising features that ensure intraoperative small pupil management.

I-Ring is a single-use iris retraction device that is designed for expanding the iris tissue safely and improving the surgeon’s access to the lens of the eye by providing a 6.3mm round field of view intraoperatively.  The device is made of soft polyurethane material which is gentle on the intraocular tissue. The ring creates a uniformly round opening by completely engaging the iris and expanding it evenly over 360⁰. An injector is also attached to the device to provide smooth grasping and flexibility to the device during its insertion and removal. I-Ring preserves the circular contour of the pupil during the procedure with its four corners that are present on the outside of the ring. The four corners of the pupil expander make four channels that provide stability to the device and keep the iris firmly in its place during the procedure without distorting it.

I-Ring pupil expander is preferred by most ophthalmic surgeons as it is flexible, easy to insert into the eye through a small insertion, and carries less risk for device implantation at the beginning of the procedure. The device does not interfere with the insertion, maneuvering, or removal of additional surgical instruments through the incisions. I-ring is easy to position and also saves time and cost of the surgery.

With the help of  I-Ring pupil expander, the surgeons can now effectively manage the challenges posed by small pupils and offer more successful results in complex cases.