HEPARIN-SURFACE-MODIFIED INTRAOCULAR-LENS IMPLANTATION IN EYES WITH PSEUDOEXFOLIATION SYNDROME

Eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome have a greater risk of intraopera tive and postoperative complications. Clinical and histopathological s tudies indicate that heparin-surface-modified intraocular lenses (HSM IOLs) can reduce postoperative anterior segment inflammation. Our stud y evaluated the blood-aqueous barrier permeability in eyes with pseudo exfoliation syndrome and implanted with an HSM IOL. We examined two gr oups of 20 patients, one comprising patients with pseudoexfoliation sy ndrome and one a sex- and age-matched control group with senile catara cts. Each group was divided into two subgroups of ten patients each. I n one subgroup, an HSM IOL was implanted; in the other, a conventional poly(methyl methacrylate) IOL. We performed a complete ophthalmologic examination and iris angiography preoperatively and at 30, 90, and 18 0 days after surgery. Fluorophotometry was performed at the 90-day and 180-day postoperative examinations. The patients with pseudoexfoliati on syndrome had a higher blood-aqueous barrier permeability than did t he control group. Permeability decreased significantly three and six m onths after surgery, especially in the HSM IOL group.