[Intraocular lenses with blue light filter]

To evaluate if a SN60AT <> IOL (Alcon) with IMPRUV filter (Alcon) offers any advantage in patients having cataract surgery, as compared with Acrysof SA60 IOL (Alcon).

This was a prospective analytical study. We studied sixty-four eyes from 32 patients with cataracts. After a random assignment, phacoemulsification with the implant was performed using the Acrysof SN60AT tinted lens in one eye and Acrysof SA60 in the other. A variety of variables was subsequently assessed: contrast sensitivity with a CSV 1000E test, colour perception through a Farnsworth 25 test and subjective measures by a patient survey. Differences between the groups were assessed statistically.

The contrast sensitivity results were obtained for 3, 6, 12 and 18 cycles per degree (cpd) frequencies under scotopic conditions, with better results obtained following the use of SN60AT: 0.75 (CSV 1000E test units) for 3 cpd, 0.86 for 6 cpd, 0.54 for 12 cpd and 0.35 for 18 cpd. The differences were statistically significant between the two groups for 3 cpd and 6 cpd. A total of 62.5% of patients using a tinted lens and 50% with SA60 achieved good results in the Farnsworth test; 12.5% and 21% had fair results and 25% and 28.1% respectively had poor results.

We obtained an improvement in favour of the tinted lens for all frequencies, with this being statistically significant at lower frequencies (3 and 6 cpd). No significant differences in the Farnsworth test performance or in the patient survey were found. The tinting provided by the IMPRUV filter brings an increase in contrast sensitivity without affecting colour perception.