Comparison of posterior capsule opacification between the 1-piece and 3-piece Acrysof intraocular lenses: two-year results of a randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare intensity of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) between the 1-piece and 3-piece haptic designs of an open-loop hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL).


METHODS
A randomized, patient- and examiner-masked clinical trial with intraindividual comparison.


METHODS
Fifty-two patients with bilateral age-related cataract (104 eyes).


METHODS
Each patient had cataract surgery in both eyes and received a 1-piece Acrysof IOL in one eye and a 3-piece Acrysof IOL in the fellow eye. Follow-up examinations were at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Patients were examined at the slit lamp, visual acuity (VA) was determined, and standardized high-resolution digital retroillumination images of the posterior capsule were taken. The intensity of PCO was assessed subjectively at the slit lamp and objectively using automated image analysis software.


METHODS
Posterior capsule opacification score (scale, 0-10).


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between IOL styles in best-corrected VA, rhexis/IOL overlap, capsular folds, and amount of anterior capsule opacification during the follow-up period. One year postoperatively, the amount of regeneratory PCO was higher for the 1-piece Acrysof eyes (image analysis software score: 1.3) than for the 3-piece Acrysof eyes (score: 0.9; P = 0.002). However, 2 years postoperatively, there was no significant difference between the 2 IOL styles (1-piece: 1.5; 3-piece: 1.3; P = 0.3). Neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet capsulotomy was not performed in the study.


CONCLUSIONS
One year postoperatively, the 1-piece Acrysof showed slightly more regeneratory PCO than the 3-piece Acrysof. However, 2 years postoperatively, the barrier effect of the 1-piece design was comparable to that of the 3-piece haptic design, with low PCO intensity.
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Stefan
S
Sacu
Oliver
O
Findl
Rupert
R
Menapace
Wolf
W
Buehl
Mathias
M
Wirtitsch
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000180:Acrylic Resins