Abstract
Purpose::
To study the efficacy of anterior capsule polishing on regeneratory posterior capsule opacification (PCO), anterior capsule opacification (ACO), and fibrotic PCO with a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lens (IOL).
Methods::
The prospective study was carried out in 200 eyes of 100 patients with bilateral age-related cataract. All patients had single piece PMMA IOL, round optic edge (Alcon labs, Crystal. Type 05) implantation in both eyes. Patients were submitted to extensive anterior capsule polishing with bimanual irrigation and aspiration after phacoemulsification and cortex aspiration in a randomly chosen eye and no treatment delivered to the anterior capsule in the fellow eye. The regenerative posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was evaluated in the central 3-mm zone and quantified using Adobe Photoshop software. ACO and fibrotic PCO were graded subjectively every 6 months during 2 years.
Results::
The median regeneratory posterior capsule opacification value of the central 3-mm zone was 0.14 one year after surgery and 0,25 two years after surgery in the eyes without anterior capsule polishing. Eyes with anterior capsule polishing the median value was 0.11 after one year and 0,23 after 2 years (not statistically significant). The ACO and fibrotic PCO rate was significantly lower in the eyes with extensive anterior capsule polishing.
Conclusions::
Polishing of the anterior capsule did not lower PCO intensity, however showed less ACO and fibrotic PCO after 2 years of cataract surgery.
Keywords: cataract • posterior capsular opacification (PCO) • intraocular lens