Prevention of increased abnormal fundus autofluorescence with blue light-filtering intraocular lenses.

PURPOSE: To observe changes in fundus autofluorescence 2 years after implantation of blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) and ultraviolet light-filtering (colorless) intraocular lenses (IOLs).

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan, and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

DESIGN

Prospective comparative observational study.

METHODS

Patients were enrolled who had cataract surgery with implantation of a yellow-tinted or colorless IOL and for whom images were obtained on which the fundus autofluorescence was measurable using the Heidelberg Retina Angiogram 2 postoperatively. The fundus autofluorescence in the images was classified into 8 abnormal patterns based on the classification of the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group, The presence of normal fundus autofluorescence, geographic atrophy, and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) also was recorded. The fundus findings at baseline and 2 years postoperatively were compared.

RESULTS

Fifty-two eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL and 79 eyes with a colorless IOL were included. Abnormal fundus autofluorescence did not develop or increase in the yellow-tinted IOL group; however, progressive abnormal fundus autofluorescence developed or increased in 12 eyes (15.2%) in the colorless IOL group (P = .0016). New drusen, geographic atrophy, and choroidal neovascularization were observed mainly in the colorless IOL group. The incidence of AMD was statistically significantly higher in the colorless IOL group (P = .042).

CONCLUSIONS

Two years after cataract surgery, significant differences were seen in the progression of abnormal fundus autofluorescence between the 2 groups. The incidence of AMD was lower in eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.