Mc. Knorz et al., COMPARISON OF THE OPTICAL AND VISUAL QUALITY OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) AND SILICONE INTRAOCULAR LENSES, Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 19(6), 1993, pp. 766-771
We evaluated experimentally the optical quality of poly(methyl methacr
ylate) (PMMA) (Storz 68UV, AMO PC58) and silicone (AMO SI19, Adatomed
90D) intraocular lenses (IOLs) and compared the results with our clini
cal data. We measured surface and image quality using the Zygo laser i
nterferometer and modulation transfer function (MTF) using the Ealing
EROSMTE analyzer. Contrast acuity was tested clinically with glare and
without glare (Regan charts); AMO PC58, n=18; AMO SI19, n=7; Adatomed
90D, n=18). Modulation transfer function and image quality were sligh
tly better with PMMA IOLs but the reduction of MTF with silicone lense
s was within the 1/8 diopter defocus range. Surface quality of silicon
e IOLs was superior to that of PMMA IOLs. Contrast acuity measured cli
nically was also better with PMMA IOLs at low contrast and with glare
but differences were not significant. Our results suggest that optical
and visual quality of silicone IOLs is slightly lower than with PMMA
IOLs. Experimental and clinical results correlated closely. However, t
he small differences observed are unlikely to be significant clinicall
y.