title: Comparison of the mechanical properties of the anterior lens capsule following manual capsulorhexis and femtosecond laser capsulotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the mechanical properties of anterior capsule openings performed with the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) technique and femtosecond laser capsulotomy (FLC) in ex vivo porcine lens capsule specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh porcine eyes were included in the study (CCC group, n = 50; FLC group, n = 30). The capsule openings were stretched with universal testing equipment until they ruptured. The rupture force and circumference stretching ratio were evaluated. The morphologic profile of the cut capsule edges was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average rupture force was higher in the CCC group (median: 155 mN; interquartile range [IQR]: 129 to 201 mN; range: 71 to 294 mN) than in the FLC group (median: 119 mN; IQR: 108 to 128 mN; range: 91 to 142 mN) (P < .01, Mann-Whitney U test). The average circumference stretching ratio in the CCC group was greater (median: 150%; IQR: 146% to 156%; range: 136% to 161%) than in the FLC group (median: 148%; IQR: 145% to 150%; range: 141% to 154%) (P = .0468, Mann-Whitney U test). When less than 71 mN, no capsular tear occurred in either group. When less than 91 mN, no capsular tear occurred in the FLC group, whereas at 91 mN, the probability of capsular tears was 9% for the CCC group. SEM examination found that the CCC group had smooth edges, whereas those of the FLC group were gently serrated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the current results in a porcine eye model, FLC had less average resistance to capsule tear than CCC, but the weakest openings were seen in the CCC group.
authors.forename: Gábor L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sándor
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Zoltán I
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Bocskai
authors.forename: Krasimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kolev
authors.forename: Agnes I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Takács
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Juhász
authors.forename: Kinga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kránitz
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gyenes
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bojtár
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juhász
authors.forename: Zoltán Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057866:Anterior Capsule of the Lens / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D019923:Capsulorhexis; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057851:Posterior Capsular Rupture, Ocular / Q000503:physiopathology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013552:Swine