Posterior capsule opacification: Silicone plate-haptic versus AcrySof intraocular lenses

PURPOSE: To evaluate posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in fellow eyes, 1 receiving a silicone intraocular lens (IOL) and the other, an acrylate IOL. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands. METHODS: This retrospective study comprised 107 patients (214 eyes). In each patient, 1 eye was randomly selected to have implantation of an acrylate IOL (AcrySof MA30BA or MA60BM, Alcon) and the other eye, a plate-haptic silicone IOL (AA4203VF, Staar). Outcome measures were the total PCO index, percentage of neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) capsulotomies performed, and logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). The follow-up was 3 years. RESULTS: The total PCO index was significantly lower in the AcrySof group than in the plate-haptic silicone group (P<.0001). There was no significant difference in logMAR BCVA between groups (P>.05). The percentage of Nd:YAG laser treatments was significantly lower in the AcrySof group (2.8%) than in the plate-haptic silicone group (23.1%) (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was significantly less PCO and a lower Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy rate after AcrySof IOL implantation than after plate-haptic silicone IOL implantation. These results did not seem to affect the logMAR BCVA as there were no significant differences between groups in this parameter.