Purpose: To compare the incidence and intensity of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) between 2 similar 1-piece foldable hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) over 3 years.
Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Design: Randomized prospective patient- and examiner-masked clinical trial with intraindividual comparison.
Methods: Patients with bilateral age-related cataract had cataract surgery and implantation of a Tecnis ZCB00 continuous-optic-edge IOL in 1 eye and an Acrysof SA60AT interrupted-optic-edge IOL in the other eye. Postoperative examinations were performed at 6 months and 3 years. Digital retroillumination images were taken of each eye. The amount of PCO (score 0 to 10) was assessed subjectively at the slitlamp and objectively using automated image-analysis software.
Results: The study comprised 54 patients (108 eyes). The mean objective PCO score was 1.3 ± 1.7 (SD) for the continuous-optic-edge IOLs and 0.9 ± 1.3 for the interrupted-optic-edge IOLs (P=.10). Three years postoperatively, a neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) capsulotomy was performed in 26.1% of eyes with the continuous-optic-edge IOL and 21.7% with the interrupted-optic-edge IOL (P=.56). There was no significant difference in corrected distance visual acuity, capsulorhexis–IOL overlap, capsule folds, or anterior capsule opacification 3 years after surgery.
Conclusions: Both IOLs had comparable PCO and Nd:YAG rates 3 years postoperatively. The optimized barrier function of the continuous-optic-edge IOL and the material properties of the interrupted-optic-edge IOL seemingly outbalanced the effect on lens epithelial cell migration and proliferation beneath the optic.