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Akreos Disc IOL helps prevent PCO, two studies show
Two separate and unrelated studies drew similar conclusions regarding PCO rate.
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The Akreos Disc IOL helped prevent posterior capsular opacification in cataract patients, according to two surgeons discussing two separate studies.
Dieter V. Eisenmann, MD, and Pierre-Yves Santiago, MD, presented 2-year follow-up data on the unrelated studies. Employing different methodologies, both studies drew the same conclusion: that the square-edge technology of the Akreos Disc IOL helps prevent PCO, the surgeons said.
Dr. Eisenmann, of Switzerland, said he and his colleagues conducted a prospective investigation of the incidence of PCO of three types of acrylic IOL with 2-year follow-up examinations.
They implanted 80 IOLs each of the following types: Octobag (IOLTECH), AR-40 (AMO) and Akreos Disc (Bausch & Lomb). All IOLs were implanted with an injector through a 3.2-mm limbal incision. In each case, the circular capsulorrhexis covered the rim of the IOL optic, according to Dr. Eisenmann. The surgeons carefully polished the capsules, he said.
The study looked at the rate of YAG capsulotomy after 2 years. The decision to perform YAG laser treatment was based on whether the patient presented with a clinical significant regenerative or fibrotic PCO, along with loss of vision in at least two lines, Dr. Eisenmann said.
The results showed that the Akreos Disc had the lowest incidence of YAG laser capsulotomy. Twelve of 80 cataract patients (15%) who were implanted with this IOL needed YAG laser treatment.
From the Octobag IOL group, 27 patients (33.75%) needed YAG capsulotomy, while the incidence in the AR-40 group was highest, at 29 patients (36.25%), Dr. Eisenmann said.
Based on these results, Dr. Eisenmann and colleagues concluded that the Akreos Disc’s design was a determining factor in preventing the development of PCO among cataract patients.
“Our results confirm the positive influence of the square-edge technology on PCO development among acrylic IOLs,” he said. “We think this positive effect is supported by the design of Akreos Disc with nearly continuous contact of the sharp edge with the equator of the capsule.”
Similar conclusion
In France, Dr. Santiago and colleagues reached a similar conclusion with a study that relied on a different methodology. In this study the researchers looked only at the rate of PCO in patients with the Akreos Disc, instead of comparing different IOL types.
For the study, 54 patients underwent uneventful cataract surgery and were implanted with the Akreos Disc IOL. All patients, who were mostly female, had age-related cataracts. Mean age was 72.1 years, Dr. Santiago said.
The surgeons followed these patients for 2 years, employing the Evaluation of Posterior Capsule Opacification (EPCO) scoring system of Tetz and Nimsgern to measure the rate of PCO, Dr. Santiago said.
He and his colleagues analyzed the data on a 6-mm diameter surface and also on a 3-mm surface in the center of the posterior capsule. They repeated the analysis at 6, 12 and 24 months.
The study revealed a slow increase in the EPCO score during the 2 years and a low PCO rate overall, Dr. Santiago said.
For the 6-mm surface, EPCO score was 0.22 at 6 months, 0.34 at 12 months and 0.53 at 2 years. For the 3-mm surface, EPCO score was 0.11 at 6 months, 0.20 at 12 months and 0.32 at 24 months. Only two of the 54 patients (3.7%) developed capsulotomy, with scores of 1.39 and 1.52 respectively, Dr. Santiago said.
He and his colleagues interpreted these findings as a good measure of the Akreos Disc’s effectiveness in preventing PCO in cataract patients.
“The Akreos Disc IOL showed a good preventative effect against PCO after 2 years,” Dr. Santiago said.
For Your Information:
- Dieter V. Eisenmann, MD, can be reached at Via dal Bagn No. 16, St. Moritz 7500, Switzerland; +(41) 81-83-73-626; fax: +(41) 81-83-73-625; e-mail: d.eisenmann@bluewin.ch. Dr. Eisenmann has no direct financial interest in the products mentioned in this article, nor is he a paid consultant for any companies mentioned.
- Pierre-Yves Santiago, MD, can be reached at 8 rue Camille Flammarion 44000 Nantes, France; phone/fax: +(33) 02-40-59-02-22; e-mail: pierre-yves.santiago@clinique-sourdille.com. Ocular Surgery News could not confirm whether Dr. Santiago has a direct financial interest in any of the products mentioned or if he is a paid consultant for any company mentioned.
- Bausch & Lomb can be reached at Hamilton House (Block B), Regent Park, Kingston Rd., Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7PQ United Kingdom; +(44) 1372-22-4030.