[Comparative clinical study of visual results between two different types of bifocal intraocular lenses]

To compare visual results after cataract surgery in patients who underwent bilateral implantation of two different types of bifocal intraocular lenses: the model 811E (Pharmacia), and the model MF4 (Ioltech).

This prospective study comprised 99 patients who underwent phacoemulsification with bifocal IOL implantation. The model 811E was implanted in forty-seven eyes of 47 patients (group I) and the model MF4 in fifty-two eyes of 52 patients (group II). Visual acuity (distance and near), complications, and adverse events were measured. The postoperative follow-up in all patients was of 6 months. Patient satisfaction was also valued using a questionnaire.

There was no significant difference in uncorrected distance visual acuity between both groups, which was respectively 0.63 (S.D.: 0.2) for group I and 0.58 (S.D.: 0.16) for group II (p=0.17). Nonetheless a significant difference was found when measuring corrected distance visual acuity, which was 0.86 (S.D.: 0.1) for group I and 0.77 (S.D.: 0.12) for group II (p=0.01). Mean uncorrected near visual acuity was statistically better in group I: J2.00 (S.D.:1.16) in comparison with J2.48 (S.D.:0.83) for group II (p=0.021). Subjectively, both groups indicated high levels of satisfaction, without significant difference between them, being respectively 78% (group I) and 73.4% (group II).

Our results reveal a superiority of the bifocal diffractive lens over the refractive bifocal lens for corrected distance visual acuity and distance-corrected near visual acuity. Postoperatory complications and satisfaction degree were similar for both IOL models.