Course of postoperative inflammation after implantation of 4 types of foldable intraocular lenses

Abstract Purpose To compare the course of postoperative inflammation after small incision cataract surgery with implantation of 4 types of foldable intraocular lenses (IOLs). Setting Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Vienna, Austria. Methods One hundred twenty eyes were prospectively randomized to receive a foldable silicone (Pharmacia 920), hydrogel (Bausch & Lomb Hydroview™), methyl methacrylate/hydroxyethyl methacrylate (Mentor MemoryLens®), or acrylic (Alcon AcrySof®) IOL. All surgery was performed by the same experienced surgeon using a standardized surgical protocol: clear corneal incision, capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification, and in-the-bag implantation of the IOL. All patients received standardized postoperative medication and follow-up. Postoperative inflammation was evaluated by measuring aqueous flare preoperatively and 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 90, and 180 days after surgery using the Kowa 1000 laser flare–cell meter. Results Except on the first day after surgery, when the AcrySof group had higher flare values than the other groups ( P = .0265), no significant differences were found up to 6 months. Re-establishment of the blood−aqueous barrier was similar in eyes with the AcrySof, Hydroview, and MemoryLens IOLs; the course of postoperative inflammation was different in eyes with the silicone IOL. Conclusion Comparison of postoperative flare values after implantation of 4 foldable IOLs showed no clinically relevant differences in the course of postoperative inflammation.