NEODYMIUM: YAG;

CAPSULOTOMY RATES FOLLOWING IMPLANTATION OF PMMA AND ACRYLIC INTRAOCULAR LENSES

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of posterior capsule opacification
after phacoemulsification, between acrylic and polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses, by comparing their YAG laser
capsulotomy rates. Design: It was a randomized clinical trial. Place and duration of study: Department of
Ophthalmology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi, between March 2002-04. Patients and Methods: One hundred and five
patients were randomized to receive either a foldable acrylic lens (fifty-two cases), or rigid polymethylmethacrylate lens
(fifty-three cases) following phacoemulsification for cataracts. Postoperatively their visual acuities were recorded along
with the presence of posterior capsular opacification. Laser capsulotomy was performed if the eyes had lost 2 or more
lines of visual acuity. Results: The visual acuity loss at six months in the PMMA group was greater than that in the
acrylic group (p< 0.001,Chi-square test).65% cases exhibiting PCO in the Polymethylmethacrylate group developed
it within the first six months, whereas in the acrylic group the development of posterior capsular opacification was seen
eighteen months after surgery in 60% cases. Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy was performed in 28% of cases in the PMMA
group compared to 6% in the AcrySof group (p < 0.005). Conclusion: Acrylic intraocular lenses is associated with less
incidence of posterior capsular opacification and with a significantly reduced rate of YAG laser capsulotomy compared
with Polymethylmethacrylate lenses.