Comparison of Healon and Viscoat in cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation

Sixty patients were randomly assigned to Healon (20 patients) or Viscoat (40 patients) treatment during extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation surgery. The 40 patients in the Viscoat group were randomly subdivided into two groups. In one group (20 patients), Viscoat was irrigated/aspirated from the eye at the close of surgery, while in the second group of 20 patients, Viscoat was left in the eye. In all Healon cases, the viscoelastic substance was removed from the eye at the end of the surgical procedure. Compared with Viscoat, Healon better facilitated the surgical procedure and appeared to be a more advantageous viscoelastic preparation. Viscoat, in many cases, caused rises in intraocular pressure in the immediate postoperative period when either removed or left in the eye at the close of surgery.