After-cataract in adults with primary posterior capsulorhexis: comparison of hydrogel and silicone intraocular lenses with round edges after 2 years
Accepted 28 August 2002.
Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the potential of primary posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) to prevent after-cataract 2 years after surgery and perform a bilateral comparison of 2 intraocular lens (IOL) materials, silicone and hydrogel.
Setting
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Medical School, Vienna, Austria.
Methods
In this randomized patient- and examiner-masked study, 37 patients (74 eyes) with age-related cataract had bilateral small-incision cataract surgery with PCCC. Randomly, 1 eye received a hydrogel IOL and the contralateral eye, a silicone IOL. Both IOLs had open-loop haptics and a round-edged optic. Standardized digital retroillumination photographs were taken 1 day and 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery to evaluate development of after-cataract on the anterior and posterior capsules by subjective grading. Opacification of the PCCC area was also objectively evaluated using new software.
Results
Twenty-nine patients (58 eyes) completed the 2-year follow-up. Partial closure with ongrowth at the edge of the PCCC was found in 55% in the hydrogel group and 28% in the silicone group. Total closure of the PCCC was observed in 3 eyes, 2 in the hydrogel group and 1 in the silicone group.
Conclusion
Ongrowth onto the PCCC area was dependent on IOL material. Because of less ongrowth and more fibrotic after-cataract with silicone IOLs, the efficacy of the PCCC was higher in this group.
aDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Reprint requests to Michael Georgopoulos, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna Medical School, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
1 None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
ABSTRACT