Negative dysphotopsia: long-term study and possible explanation for transient symptoms.

PURPOSE: To study the incidence, course, and common factors of patients with negative dysphotopsia and consider the possible role of the corneal incision in cases in which symptoms are transient.

SETTING: Private practice and the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

METHODS: Phacoemulsification with implantation of a single-piece acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) was performed in 250 consecutive routine cataract procedures. Patients were asked whether they noticed a temporal shadow on the day after surgery and were followed by serial evaluations for 3 years. Evaluations included subjective questionnaires and objective testing.

RESULTS: The incidence of negative dysphotopsia was 15.2% on the first postoperative day, decreasing to 3.2% after 1 year, then 2.4% after 2 and 3 years. Common findings included a shallow orbit, prominent globe, space greater than 0.45 mm between the iris and IOL by ultrasound biomicroscopy, and perimetric comet-shaped light in the area corresponding to the shadow. Slitlamp revealed a transparent peripheral capsule and a shadow sign in which a linear shadow on the iris became curvilinear as the light from the slit beam was projected through the incision toward the pupil.

CONCLUSIONS: Two groups of patients experienced negative dysphotopsia that rapidly resolved or remained unchanged from the first postoperative day. It is hypothesized that the corneal edema associated with a beveled temporal incision contributes to transient negative dysphotopsia.