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Effect of optic material and haptic design on anterior capsule opacification and capsulorrhexis contraction.

Sacu S, Menapace R, Findl O

Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.

PURPOSE: To examine the influence of optic material (silicone and hydrophobic acrylic) and haptic design (one-piece and three-piece open loop) of sharp optic edge intraocular lenses (IOL) on anterior capsule opacification (ACO) and capsulorrhexis contraction. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial with intraindividual comparison. METHODS: This study was performed at the Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and comprised 210 eyes of 105 patients with bilateral age-related cataract. In group 1 (n = 53 patients), a three-piece acrylic IOL was compared with a three-piece silicone IOL. In group 2 (n = 52 patients), the three-piece acrylic IOL was compared with the one-piece acrylic IOL. One year after the operation, standardized digital slit-lamp images of ACO were taken; 1 week and 1 year after the operation, digital retroillumination images were taken to assess capsulorrhexis size. The intensity of ACO was graded objectively (score, 0% to 100%), and the capsulorrhexis area (square millimeters) was determined objectively. RESULTS: One year after surgery, the mean ACO score was 21% for the acrylic and 20% for the silicone IOL (P = .4) in group 1 and 18% for both the three-piece and one-piece acrylic IOLs (P = .87) in group 2. Concerning the amount of capsulorrhexis contraction, there was no significant difference between the IOL types that were evaluated in this study (after Bonferroni-Holm correction, P > .05). CONCLUSION: In the hydrophobic sharp optic edge IOLs that were examined, neither the optic material nor the haptic design had an influence on the amount of ACO or capsulorrhexis contraction.

Published 21 February 2006 in Am J Ophthalmol, 141(3): 488-493.
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