[Comparison of the occurrence of secondary cataracts in silicone and PMMA lenses]

The authors compared the frequency of secondary cataract after implantation of silicone and polymethylmetacrylate lenses (PMMA) in a group of 130 eyes of 100 patients within 12-30 months after surgery of cataract with primary implantation of a IOL. For evaluation of secondary cataract two criteria were used: 1. opacification of the posterior capsule in correlation with deterioration of eyesight after other causes of deterioration were ruled out, 2. the number of performed Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomies (so-called "capsulotomy rate") in the investigated patients. The authors provided evidence of a lower incidence of secondary cataracts in silicone lenses i.e. a lower incidence of opacification of the posterior capsule (46% as compared with 58.5% in PMMA lenses) as well as a lower rate of Nd:YAG capsulotomies (26% as compared with 32% in PMMA lenses). The longer time interval of capsulotomy after implantation (on average by five months) is also in favour of silicone plate-haptic IOL.