Glistenings in a large series of hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and severity of glistenings in hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) and assess the potential correlation between glistenings and clinical and demographic factors.

SETTING

Service d'Ophtalmologie, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.

METHODS

Eligible patients received an AcrySof IOL between September 2000 and December 2007 and had a routine ophthalmic visit between January 2007 and March 2008. The incidence and severity of glistenings were graded subjectively and analyzed in relation to patient age and sex, length of follow-up, IOL model, IOL power, neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical equivalent (SE), and selected ocular and systemic diseases and medications.

RESULTS

Glistenings occurred in 157 (60.4%) of the 260 eyes; they were absent in 103 eyes (39.6%). Glistenings were of grade 1 severity in 87 eyes (33.5%) and of grade 2 severity in 70 eyes (26.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest a potential association between the incidence of glistenings and IOL power and glaucoma, but not between glistenings and age, sex, IOL model, length of follow-up, CDVA, SE, or most ocular and systemic diseases and medications.