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Evidence summaries

Interventions for Preventing Posterior Capsule Opacification

Intraocular lenses with sharp (posterior) optic edges appear to be associated with less posterior capsule opacification than round edged lenses in the treatment of cataract. Level of evidence: "B"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 60 studies. The review was divided into three parts:

  1. Influence of intraocular lens (IOL) optic material on the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). There was no significant difference in PCO development between the different IOL materials (polymethyl methacrylate = PMMA, hydrogel, hydrophobic acrylic, silicone) although hydrogel IOLs tend to have higher PCO scores and silicone IOLs lower PCO scores than the other materials.
  2. Influence of IOL optic design on the development of PCO. There was a significantly lower PCO score (-8.65, 95% CI -10.72 to -6.59; scale 0 to 100) and YAG rate (0.19, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.35) in sharp edged than in round edged IOLs, however, not between 1-piece and 3-piece IOLs.
  3. Influence of surgical technique and drugs on the development of PCO. There was no significant difference between different types of intra-/postoperative anti-inflammatory treatment except for treatment with an immunotoxin (MDX-A) which led to a significantly lower PCO rate.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).

    References

    • Findl O, Buehl W, Bauer P, Sycha T. Interventions for preventing posterior capsule opacification. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2010;(2):CD003738. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords