A comparison of 500 Binkhorst implants with 500 routine intracapsular cataract extractions.

We compared 500 Binkhorst lens implants with 500 routine intracapsular cataract extractions. The two groups consisted of consecutive cases matched according to surgeons, surgical technique, time interval of the study, and ocular status. The results of visual acuity were comparable in the two groups; 89.0% of the implant group and 85.4% of the routine intracapsular group achieved 6/12 (20/40) or better visual acuity. The rate of complications in each group was comparable except in the case of corneal edema, which was higher in the implant group (1.2%) than in the routine intracapsular group (0.4%). The rate of clinically significant cystoid macular edema was higher in the routine intracapsular group (2.2%) than in the implant group (1.4%).