The Madurai Intraocular Lens Study. II: Clinical outcomes

Am J Ophthalmol. 1998 Jan;125(1):14-25. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(99)80230-x.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens (ECCE/PC-IOL) compared with intracapsular cataract extraction with aphakic glasses (ICCE-AG).

Methods: In a nonmasked randomized controlled clinical trial, 3,400 bilaterally vision-impaired patients aged 40 to 75 years with operable cataract were randomly assigned to receive either ICCE-AG or ECCE/PC-IOL at the Aravind Eye Hospital in India. The surgery was performed by one of four study surgeons. Patients were hospitalized for 5 postoperative days, with follow-up visits at 2, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Postsurgery evaluations were conducted by two independent study ophthalmologists.

Results: At any single postoperative follow-up time point, there were no statistically significant differences of clinical relevance between treatment groups for any complication of a serious nature except cystoid macular edema, which was more common with ICCE (4.2% vs 1.6%). In general, whether of a trivial, intermediate, or serious nature, complication rates were low at each evaluation time point. Cumulatively, the incidence of serious complications of all types throughout the 1-year study period was 14.5% for patients in the ICCE-AG group and 7.7% in the ECCE group (P < .001). Best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better at 12 months was attained by 90.7% of ICCE-AG patients and 96.3% of ECCE/PC-IOL patients (P < .001).

Conclusion: Although both operative procedures are safe and effective for cataract patients with bilateral impairment, ECCE/PC-IOL is superior to ICCE-AG in terms of both visual acuity restoration and safety.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cataract Extraction / methods*
  • Eyeglasses
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • India
  • Intraoperative Complications*
  • Lens Implantation, Intraocular*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications*
  • Safety
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Visual Acuity / physiology*