The Effects of Blue-Light Filtering Intraocular Implants on Glare Geometry.

PURPOSE

One common complaint with natural opacified lenses is the deleterious effects of higher-order ocular aberrations and intraocular scatter, such as halos and starbursts, which are not always remedied with surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Blue-light filtering (BLF) IOL filter scatter-prone short-wave light. Here, we determine whether BLF IOL reduce halo and starburst size.

METHODS

This study was a case-control design, between- and within-subjects (contralateral implantation). Sixty-nine participants with either the BLF IOL ( = 25; AlconSN60AT), clear IOL ( = 24; AlconSA60AT or WF), or both ( = 20) IOL participated. Participants were exposed to a point source of broadband simulated sunlight, which created the appearance of halos/starbursts. Dysphotopsia was measured as the diameter of broadband light-induced halos and starbursts.

RESULTS

A case-control analysis. Halo size was significantly larger ([35.05] = 2.98,  = 0.005) in participants with the clear control lens ( = 3°55' ± 2°48'), compared to the BLF IOL ( = 1°84' ± 1°34'). Starburst size was not significantly different between groups. Halo size was significantly smaller ( = -3.89,  = .001) in test eyes with the BLF ( = 3°16' ± 2°35') compared to the fellow control eyes ( = 5°42' ± 3°17'). Starburst size was also significantly smaller ( = -2.60,  < 0.018) in BLF test eyes ( = 9°57' ± 4°25') than the fellow eye with the clear IOL ( = 12°33' ± 5°25').

CONCLUSIONS

BLF IOL filter short-wave light and mimic retinal screening by the young, natural crystalline lens. Such filtering can reduce some deleterious effects of bright light by decreasing ocular diffusion/halos and starbursts.