[Area of contact of the artificial lens and posterior capsule. Systematic study of various haptic parameters]

New techniques in cataract surgery, namely the small and tunnel incisions, have led to intraocular lens (IOL) designs with haptics angulated anteriorly as low as 0 degrees. Clinical and animal studies strongly support the inhibitory influence of contact between the optic and the posterior capsule on the formation of posterior capsular opacification. Human cadaver eyes were used to examine the effect of different haptic angulations (1 degree, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees), different haptic diameters (11.5 mm, 12.0 mm, 12.5 mm), and different optic diameters (5.0 mm, 6.0 mm) on the area of contact between optic and posterior capsule. Exciting fluorescein with a Wood light visualized the space between the IOL and the posterior capsule. Only IOLs with haptics bent forward at more than 10 degrees could achieve contact between IOL and posterior capsule. The haptic and optic diameters had only a limited effect.