Iridociliary cyst and posterior chamber phakic lenses

Cysts in the ciliary body are generally benign and tend to have a favorable evolution. However, careful evaluation is essential to differentiate them from other lesions, such as tumors. With the increasing adoption of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lenses (pIOLs) as a refractive surgical option for high myopia and myopia in thin corneas, the detection of these cysts has become more frequent, as detailed preoperative ocular anatomy assessments —such as ultrabiomicroscopy— are routinely performed. Their detection appears to be more common in young myopic women, raising controversy regarding the feasibility of performing surgery in these cases and the potential implications of these cysts in patients who have already undergone surgery. Given the limited information available on this topic, and its growing clinical relevance, an extensive review has been conducted to improve the characterization and management of patients with ciliary body cysts, with a particular focus on their significance in the context of pIOLs. This review will also cover conditions that may contraindicate surgery or simply alert the surgeon to take extra precautions both during surgery and in postoperative monitoring, as well as sharing this information with the patient in the preoperative discussion about the possible risks of the procedure.