U. Mester et al., BIOCOMPATIBILITY AND BLOOD-AQUEOUS BARRIER IMPAIRMENT IN AT-RISK EYESWITH HEPARIN-SURFACE-MODIFIED OR UNMODIFIED LENSES, Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 24(3), 1998, pp. 380-384
Purpose: To evaluate the influence of heparin-surface-modified (HSM) v
ersus unmodified poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) intraocular lenses (
IOLs) on the blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) in at-risk eyes. Setting: Dep
artment of Ophthalmology, Bundesknappschaft's Hospital, Sulzbach, Germ
any. Methods: This study comprised 100 patients with predisposing risk
factors for BAB destabilization (e.g., diabetes mellitus with or with
out retinopathy, glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation, uveitis). One eye in eac
h patient received an HSM IOL and the fellow eye, a conventional unmod
ified PMMA IOL after phacoemulsification by the same surgeon. Anterior
chamber flare was measured with the Kowa 500 laser flare meter 1 day
before and 1 day, 1 and 6 weeks, and 3 months after surgery. Results:
For most risk factors, mean flare was lower in the HSM group than in t
he PMMA group at most follow-ups. Significantly lower flare values (di
fference between postoperative and preoperative mean values) were seen
in eyes with the HSM IOL at 6 weeks (P < .004) and 3 months (P < .003
); Student's t-test). In the group with preoperative elevated flare va
lues, the eyes with the HSM IOL had significantly better results 6 wee
ks (P < .0006) and 3 months (P < .01) postoperatively. The values in t
he HSM IOL eyes were also significantly higher in the diabetic with re
tinopathy group at 3 months (P < .003). Conclusion: The results confir
m the efficacy of IOL surface modification in reducing postoperative i
ntraocular reaction in at-risk eyes.