Visual performance of acrylic and PMMA intraocular lenses.

AIM

To evaluate the quality of visual functions after cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with different lens materials and compare the results with age-matched subjects with clear phakic eyes.

METHODS

Control and pseudophakic groups involved individuals aged between 50 and 75 years, without any accompanying ocular or systemic disease. In all, 50 eyes implanted with foldable acrylic IOLs, and 41 eyes implanted with polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) IOLs were compared with 45 phakic eyes as controls. Visual functions were evaluated for contrast sensitivity function and glare disability. The results were compared statistically using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

RESULTS

At high luminance levels, the difference among groups for contrast sensitivity was statistically significant for all spatial frequencies (P<0.05). Although the acrylic IOL-implanted eyes had better results at all three spatial frequencies, no significant difference existed between the two study groups for these spatial frequencies (P>0.05). Glare disability scores were significantly higher in the PMMA-IOL group compared to the control and acrylic-IOL groups.

CONCLUSION

The visual quality achieved in pseudophakic eyes was not as good as in clear phakic eyes in regard to contrast sensitivity and glare. However, acrylic IOLs fared better than PMMA IOLs.