Aspherical optic lens performs at clinically acceptable level well beyond 1 year

A 2-year postoperative study of an aberration-free optic lens (SofPort AO, Bausch & Lomb) found that it provides excellent visual acuity, low incidence of Nd:YAG capsulotomy, no patient complaints of visual disturbances, and improved nighttime vision, said P. Dee G. Stephenson, MD, of Stephenson Eye Associates, Venice, FL.

Dr. Stephenson said she implanted the lens in 525 eyes between September 2004 and December 2005, and she presented retrospective study results for the 423 eyes in which she performed the surgery at least 24 months ago. Patient age ranged from 32 to 92 years, and 69% of the patients were female.

Data pertaining to uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refractions, visual disturbances, and incidence of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) at 2 years were taken from the clinical files.

"The [lens] has a refractive index of 1.427, which causes the least dysphotopsia potential," Dr. Stephenson said. "It has 360° of square edge and 5° haptic angles, which prevents PCO."

When Dr. Stephenson studied the 2-year data, she found that, preoperatively, 17.7% of eyes had had visual acuity correctible to 20/40. Postoperatively, UCVA of 20/40 or better was achieved in 91% of the eyes, and 98% of the eyes had BCVA of 20/40 or better.

"In the 2% [that had postoperative] BCVA worse than 20/40, they all had pre-existing ocular pathologies such as amblyopia, age-related macular degeneration, or advanced glaucoma," she said.

Postoperative UCVA of better than 20/40 was seen in 12 eyes (2.8%) that had received the lens and had undergone Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy. "I performed YAGs two at 13 months, one at 16, three at 18 months, four at 19, and two at 20 months," Dr. Stephenson said.

No IOL-related complications were seen in the eyes. There were no complaints of halo. Fifteen patients had striae, but none was visually significant, she said.