Posterior capsule opacification after phacoemulsification: silicone CeeOn Edge versus acrylate AcrySof intraocular...

To compare the rates and morphologic features of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after small-incision phacoemulsification and in-the-bag implantation of 2 foldable intraocular lenses (IOLs) over an 18-month follow-up.

Departments of Ophthalmology, Hospital of Conegliano, Conegliano, and Maggiore Hospital of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

In an open clinical study, 78 cataract patients were randomly selected to have implantation of a silicone CeeOn Edge (Pharmacia) or acrylate AcrySof (Alcon) IOL after phacoemulsification cataract surgery. All the patients were operated on using a standard technique and in-the-bag IOL implantation. One eye in each patient was studied. Morphologic evaluation of PCO was performed using Evaluation of Posterior Capsule Opacification software.

At 18 months in the CeeOn Edge group, 36 eyes (90%) had a clear posterior capsule and 4 (10%) had PCO that did not affect visual acuity. In the AcrySof group, 26 eyes (68%) had a clear posterior capsule, 11 (29%) had PCO that did not affect visual acuity, and 1 (3%) had PCO with a decrease of 2 or more lines of visual acuity that required a neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy. No eye developed Elschnig pearls or stretched folds in the bag. The postoperative best corrected visual acuity ranged from 0.8 to 1.0 in 96% in the CeeOn Edge group and in 92% in the AcrySof group. No IOL haze or discoloration was observed in the CeeOn Edge group. Mild IOL decentration and tilting occurred in 4 AcrySof eyes; however, no glistenings were found any AcrySof IOL.

Both the CeeOn Edge and AcrySof groups had a low incidence of PCO after an 18-month follow-up. The CeeOn Edge group had significantly less PCO than the AcrySof group. These results confirm that IOLs with square truncated edges create a barrier effect at the optic edge, reducing the overall incidence of PCO.