Contrast sensitivity and color perception with orange and yellow intraocular lenses.

PURPOSE

To evaluate contrast sensitivity function (CSF) and color vision after implantation of either orange or yellow-tinted intraocular lenses (IOLs).

METHODS

Fifty-six eyes of 28 cataract patients who had bilateral implantation of orange-tinted (PC440Y Orange, Ophtec), yellow-tinted (AcrySof Natural SN60AT, Alcon), or clear (AcrySof SA60AT, Alcon) IOLs were examined. Six months postoperatively, monocular CSF under photopic and mesopic (with and without glare) conditions were measured using the Functional Visual Analyzer. Color discrimination was determined with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue test.

RESULTS

Patients implanted with orange-tinted, yellow-tinted, or clear IOLs displayed similar CSF values, with no statistically significant differences at any spatial frequency (p>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in chromatic discrimination among the 3 groups of patients (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Orange or yellow blue-filtering IOL implantation is comparable to a clear IOL in terms of photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity or color discrimination.