CONTINUOUS CURVILINEAR CAPSULORHEXIS AND INTRAOCULAR-LENS BIOCOMPATIBILITY

Purpose: To study the influence of continuous curvilinear capsulorhexi s (CCC) on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) intraocular lens (IOL) bio compatibility. Methods: Biocompatibility was assessed by measuring the postoperative blood-aqueous barrier breakdown and the cellular reacti on at the anterior capsule-IOL interface, In a prospective study, 30 c onsecutive eyes, normal except for having extracapsular cataract extra ction (ECCE) with CCC by a single surgeon, had laser flare and cell me asurements and specular microscopy of the anterior IOL surface at 1 da y, 1 week, and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Results: In addition to the foreign-body reaction previously described in eyes that had other capsulotomy types, the eyes in this study also had a lens epithelial cell (LEC) reaction. The severity of the foreign-body reaction and pos toperative aqueous flare and cells was significantly less in eyes with an intact CCC than in those with rim tears in the capsulorhexis and i n those having an ECCE with a linear or can-opener capsulotomy, as pre viously reported. Conclusions: Continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis im proves the biocompatibility of PMMA IOLs to a degree that could be of clinical benefit. In eyes with CCC, most cells seen on the anterior IO L surface were LECs.