Visual quality assessment in patients with orange-tinted blue light-filtering and clear ultraviolet light-filtering...

To evaluate potential differences in the quality of vision after implantation of a blue light-filtering intraocular lens (IOL) and an ultraviolet (UV) light-filtering IOL.

Department of Ophthalmology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany.

Prospective randomized cohort study.

Patients with age-related cataract had bilateral standardized small-incision Kelman phacoemulsification-based cataract surgery with implantation of a blue light-filtering IOL (Oculaid PC 440Y Orange Series) in 1 eye and a UV light-filtering IOL (Oculaid PC 430 Elite Series) in the other eye. Outcome measures included scotopic and photopic corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and photopic uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), color discrimination, and contrast sensitivity with and without glare. A questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction. Postoperative follow-up visits were scheduled at 1, 3, and 6 months.

Twenty-two patients (44 eyes) completed the study. There were no statistically significant differences in UDVA, CDVA, or contrast sensitivity with or without glare between the 2 IOL groups. Color discrimination was significantly decreased in eyes with blue light-filtering IOLs compared with UV light-filtering IOLs, except along the red-green axis (P=.118). No subjective differences in color or light perception were found.

Both IOL types provided similar postoperative visual function except color perception, which was slightly better in eyes with a clear IOL. Although differences were not clinically significant, information about potential disturbances in color vision might be provided before implanting an orange blue light-filtering IOL.

No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.