Posterior capsular opacification and Nd:YAG capsulotomy rates with the iMics Y-60H and Micro AY intra-ocular lenses: 3-year results of a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence and intensity of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and neodymium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) capsulotomy rates between two microincision intra-ocular lenses (IOLs) 3 years after surgery.

METHODS: Sixty-five patients randomly received a Y-60H IOL (HOYA Surgical Optics, Singapore) in one eye and a Micro AY IOL (PhysIOL, Liège, Belgium) in the contralateral eye during same-day bilateral cataract surgery. Eyes were examined 1 week, 20 months and 3 years after surgery. The amount of PCO (score: 0-10) was assessed subjectively at the slit lamp and objectively using automated image analysis software (aqua). Additionally, the Nd:YAG capsulotomy rate was noted.

RESULTS: Three years postoperatively, the objective PCO score of Y-60H IOLs was 1.9 ± 1.7 compared to PCO score of 1.7 ± 2.2 for the Micro AY IOLs (p = 0.66). Thirty-four percentage of the Y-60H eyes had undergone Nd:YAG capsulotomy, compared to 49% of the Micro AY eyes (p = 0.04). Significantly, more capsular folds were observed in the Y-60H IOL group (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in best-corrected visual acuity, rhexis/IOL overlap and anterior capsule opacification 3 years after surgery.

CONCLUSION: Both microincision IOLs showed high YAG rates and comparable PCO scores 3 years after surgery. In the light of this unsatisfying PCO performance, the advantage of the present microincision IOLs over conventional IOLs must be questioned.