Glistenings in the single-piece, hydrophobic, acrylic intraocular lenses

To study glistenings in single-piece AcrySof (models SA60 and SN60; Alcon, Fort Worth, Texas, USA) intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Observational, longitudinal study.

Consecutive patients with the SA60 were examined at 12, 24, and 36 months after surgery; those with the SN60 were examined 12 months after surgery. Best-corrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity, glare testing, contrast sensitivity, and wavefront analysis were performed. Any patient with pathologic features likely to impact visual quality was eliminated. All IOLs were photographed, and glistenings were analyzed for size and density by a computer program.

All IOLs had glistenings, and neither size, density, nor severity index (size x density) correlated with acuity, glare testing, or wavefront analysis results. High spatial resolution contrast acuity (patch D) had a borderline correlation (P = .06) with severity index, as did progress over time (P = .04).

All IOLs studied had glistenings. High spatial resolution contrast sensitivity impact and severity progression over time deserve further study.