Posterior capsule opacification and lens epithelial cell growth patterns with different types of intraocular lenses: A comparative study with a 3-year follow-up

Objective To compare the incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and lens epithelial cell (LEC) growth patterns on the posterior surface of different intraocular lenses (IOLs) 3 years after implantation.Methods A retrospective study comprised of 132 eyes that had undergone cataract extraction and insertion of an IOL in the capsular bag was performed by a single surgeon using a standardized phacoemulsification technique. The eyes were divided into 4 groups based on the type of IOL implanted: iStorz Hydroview H60M (33 eyes), Silicone foldable silicon IOL (29 eyes), AcrySof acrylic (36 eyes) and PMMA IOL (34 eyes). The changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and the development of PCO and LEC growth patterns on the posterior capsule were analyzed after 3 years.Results Each type of IOL had special LEC growth patterns. Ten patients in the H60M group and 15 in the AcrySof group had linear PCO; no patient in the silicone or PMMA group had posterior capsule folds at 3 years. Although there was no significant difference (P0.05) for BCVA and a decrease in BCVA among the different IOL types, there was a significant difference in the incidence of PCO at 3 years (P0.01). AcrySof IOLs were associated with a lower incidence of PCO (5.6%) than with silicone (30.3%), H60M (31%) or PMMA IOLs (55.9%).Conclusion The AcrySof IOL, which has a squared-edge design, had a significantly lower incidence of PCO 3 years postoperatively.