Refractive Outcome and 5-Year Capsulotomy Rate of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic IOLs with Similar Optical Design: A Contralateral Study.

Abstract

To compare the short-term visual and aberrometric outcomes and the long-term capsulotomy incidence in a cohort of patients receiving IOLs with similar structural profile but with a hydrophobic matrix in one eye (PHOB group) and a hydrophilic matrix in the other one (PHIL group). In this retrospective, contralateral study, 26 patients sequentially undergoing phacoemulsification were implanted as mentioned above. Refraction and aberrometry were evaluated 6months after surgery. For the quality of vision, the Hartmann-Shack optical aberration, Double-Pass Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), contrast sensitivity, and dysphotopsia results were compared. Capsulotomy was ascertained and dated by medical chart revision or phone call. All the considered quantitative and qualitative visual parameters tested statistically comparable between PHIL and PHOB group. After 5years, four patients (16.7%) in the PHOB group and five patients (20.8%) in the PHIL group underwent a Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomy (P > 0.5). In this contralateral comparative study, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic matrix of the IOL similarly influenced the visual and aberrometric outcomes. Also the long-term laser capsulotomy incidence did not statistically differ between groups. The posterior IOL profile, rather than matrix hydrophilia, could consistently influence the posterior capsule opacification.