Influence of Blue Light-filtering Intraocular Lenses on Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurements by Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

Purpose: : The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOL) on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements by spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: : This prospective study included 50 eyes of 50 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a blue light-filtering IOL (acrysof IQ (SN60WF) [Alcon]) or a clear IOL (Tecnis (Z9003) [AMO]). The peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using a Cirrus SD OCT before and 8 weeks after cataract surgery. Perioperative differences in RNFL thickness measurements and signal strengths (SS) were evaluated and to compared in both IOL groups.

Results: : Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients were included in the final analysis. There was a significant increase in average RNFL thickness and SS after cataract surgery in both IOL groups. No significant difference in perioperative changes of RNFL measurements was noted between yellow and clear IOL groups. In the multivariate analysis, the factor affecting perioperative differences of RNFL measurements was not IOL type but SS.

Conclusions: : The perioperative differences in RNFL measurements after cataract operation were affected by SS, and not by IOL type. Our data suggests that blue-light filtering IOL does not influence RNFL thickness measurements by Cirrus SD-OCT.

Keywords: intraocular lens • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • nerve fiber layer