Short-term blood-aqueous barrier breakdown after implantation of the 1CU accommodative posterior chamber intraocular lens.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify intraocular inflammation after phacoemulsification with implantation of an accommodative posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL).


METHODS
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.


METHODS
Twenty cataractous eyes of 20 patients without preexisting blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) deficiencies or previous intraocular surgery were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 64.6 years +/- 16.0 (SD). A single surgeon performed phacoemulsification through a superior sclerocorneal tunnel incision and implantation of a 1CU IOL (HumanOptics AG) though a 3.2 mm incision. The haptics of the single-piece acrylic 1CU lens are designed for anterior optic movement following ciliary muscle contraction. The postoperative treatment was standardized. Postoperative BAB breakdown was quantified by laser flare photometry (FC-1000, Kowa) at 1 day, 1 and 4 weeks, and 3 and 6 months.


RESULTS
The mean aqueous flare was 6.3 photons/ms +/- 3.0 (SD) (range 4.0 to 12.2 photons/ms) 1 day postoperatively, with 64% of patients having normal aqueous flare values (<8.0 photons/ms). One week after surgery, the mean aqueous flare was 5.3 +/- 2.8 photons/ms (range 2.0 to 10.5 photons/ms). Four weeks postoperatively, aqueous flare was normal in all patients and remained stable below the normal limit for up to 6 months (mean 3.3 +/- 1.2 months; range 2.0 to 5.4 months). The number of aqueous cells did not increase at any follow-up and was normal in all eyes. No postoperative complications such as fibrin formation, synechias, macrophages on the IOL optic, or endophthalmitis were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Phacoemulsification with implantation of the 1CU accommodative IOL led to minimal and short-lasting BAB alteration. No signs of persistent inflammation or pigment dispersion were detected.
Nguyen
Nhung Xuan
NX
Department of Ophthalmology and University Eye Hospital, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. nhung.nguyen@augen.imed.uni-erlangen.de
Langenbucher
Achim
A
Huber
Stefan
S
Seitz
Berthold
B
Küchle
Michael
M
D000065:Accommodation, Ocular; D000368:Aged; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D005260:Female; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011474:Prosthesis Design
D001672:Biocompatible Materials