Ozil® versus conventional ultrasound phacoemulsification: a randomized comparative study

The purpose of this study is to compare and assess the performance and the postoperative outcomes of torsional mode and ultrasound (US) mode performed in the phacoemulsification of cataract with different nuclear densities. This is a randomized comparative clinical study. Two groups of 75 eyes (the first operated by Ozil(®) and the second by US) were comparable in age, gender, cataract density, corneal incision size, and intraocular lens type. We assessed peroperative parameters: US time (UST) and cumulative dissipated energy (CDE). Postoperative outcome measures were corneal edema and final best-corrected visual acuity. The UST was significantly lower in the ozil(®) group for all nucleus grades (73.43 s ± 8.3 with US vs. 46.02 s ± 23 with Ozil(®)) (p = 0.0003). The CDE was lower in the Ozil(®) group for grade III and IV cataract (p = 0.005). However, no significant difference was noted for grade II cataract (p = 0.07). Immediate postoperative corneal edema was significantly harder in the US group (p = 0.00002). The mean one month postoperative visual acuity was 0.2 ± 0.03 logMAR and 0.15 ± 0.07 logMAR, respectively, in the US group and the Ozil(®) group (p = 0.06). Ozil(®) mode seems to dissipate less energy in the eye than US mode. The visual outcome at one month is comparable in the two groups.