Ocular aberrations and visual performance with an aspheric single-piece intraocular lens: contralateral comparative study.

PURPOSE

To study spherical aberration, coma, and trefoil after implantation of a single-piece aspheric Tecnis intraocular lens (IOL) in cataract patients and the influence on photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity.

SETTING

Ophthalmology Department, Ain-Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt.

METHODS

In this randomized prospective contralateral comparative study, patients had bilateral senile cataract. Eyes with a pathological condition other than cataract that might influence postoperative visual function were excluded. The aspheric IOL was compared with the Sensar AR40e spherical IOL. The IOL selection was randomized. Study criteria included corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), wavefront aberrometry, and contrast visual acuity.

RESULTS

Fifty-six eyes of 28 patients were enrolled. All patients completed the 2-month postoperative visit. There was no significant difference between the IOLs in CDVA (P>.05). Ocular spherical aberration was significantly lower with aspheric IOLs than spherical IOLs (P<.001). Two months after surgery, eyes with the aspheric IOL had better photopic contrast sensitivity and better mesopic contrast sensitivity at all cycles per degree. There was no significant difference in 3rd-order aberrations (coma and trefoil) between IOLs.

CONCLUSIONS

After cataract surgery, the single-piece aspheric IOL resulted in significantly lower ocular spherical aberration and significantly better mesopic contrast sensitivity. No significant difference in 3rd-order aberrations indicates that both IOLs had satisfactory centration in the capsular bag.