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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Measuring the Behavioral Effects of Intraocular Scatter
Published on: February 18, 2021
Sharp-edged intraocular lens design as a cause of permanent glare
1Hawthorn Eye Clinic, 829 Glenferrie Road, Kew, 3101 Victoria, Australia. mellis@connexus.net.au
Purpose:
To evaluate patients who had implantation of an acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) and reported edge glare that did not lessen with time.
Setting:
Hawthorn Eye Clinic, Kew, Victoria, Australia.
Method:
This retrospective study comprised patients who had uneventful phacoemulsification and then reported glare that did not abate after 12 months.
Results:
Five patients (7 of 322 eyes; 2.2%) who received an AcrySof MA30BA IOL with a 5.5 mm optic and 1 patient (1 of 221 eyes; 0.5%) who received an AcrySof MA60BM IOL with a 6.0 mm optic reported permanent edge glare. Extensive retinal and neurological evaluations in 2 patients showed no deficits in 1 and an abnormal photopic red electroretinogram in the other. Pilocarpine 1% was used in 3 patients and gave no relief of symptoms. Two patients (3 eyes) had IOL explantation with complete resolution of glare symptoms. There was no statistical significance between the 2 types of IOLs.
Conclusion:
Sharp-edged IOL designs can cause permanent intractable glare.
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