Capsular bag performance of a hydrophobic acrylic 1-piece intraocular lens.

PURPOSE: To compare parameters after 1-piece and 3-piece intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

SETTING

Moorfields West End Clinic, London, United Kingdom, and Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Each eye of patients having bilateral surgery for age-related cataract was randomized to have implantation of a 1-piece IOL (Tecnis ZCB00) or a 3-piece IOL (Tecnis ZA9003). Changes in visual acuity, refraction, and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were evaluated during a 2-year follow-up. Intraocular lens tilt and decentration were evaluated using a Purkinje meter. Regeneratory posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was analyzed using retroillumination photographs in Automated Quantification of After-Cataract image-analysis software.

RESULTS

This study comprised 100 eyes of 50 patients. No statistically significant differences were found in IOL tilt or decentration between groups (P≥.06). Minimal but statistically significant changes were observed in the vertical tilt component 12 months postoperatively in the 3-piece IOL group (P<.01). The tilt and decentration components did not correlate with changes in sphere or the regeneratory PCO score (r = 0.38, P≥.06). The ACD decreased significantly between 1 day and 1 month postoperatively in both groups (P<.01), with no significant changes afterward (P≥.22). The anterior chamber was significantly deeper in the 1-piece group at all follow-up visits (P<.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Both the 1-piece IOL and the 3-piece IOL showed excellent positional stability in the capsular bag, resulting in good clinical outcomes. Regeneratory PCO levels were low and comparable between the IOLs.

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