Effect of the blue filter intraocular lens on the progression of geographic atrophy

To clinically evaluate the effect of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) on disease progression in patients with geographic atrophy (GA).

Clinical data from 66 eyes of 40 patients were investigated, 27 with a blue filter and 39 with a non-blue filter IOL. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography technology and the advanced retinal pigment epithelium analysis software tool were used to measure lesion size and monitor its progression over 1 year.

The mean and median baseline area of GA for the total sample was 5.55 ± 4.72 mm2 and 4.40 mm2, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference of the mean (p = 0.0002) and median (p<0.0001) GA progression in 1 year between the blue filter and non-blue filter IOL group (0.72 ± 0.39 SD mm2 mean and 0.70 mm2 median compared to 1.48 ± 0.88 SD mm2 and 1.30 mm2, respectively).

The clinical data strongly support a photoprotective role of blue light-filtering IOLs on the progression of the atrophic form of dry age-related macular degeneration after cataract surgery.