HEPARIN EYEDROPS TO PREVENT POSTERIOR CAPSULE OPACIFICATION

Purposes: To evaluate whether heparin eyedrops prevent or reduce poste rior capsule opacification (PCO) after extracapsular cataract extracti on (ECCE) with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Setting Institute of Ophthalmology, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy. Methods: Th is 4 year, prospective, case-controlled study evaluated 200 patients w ho had ECCE and implantation of the same type of posterior chamber IOL . Patients were randomly assigned to receive topical heparin eyedrops postoperatively (heparin group, n = 100) or not to receive the eyedrop s (control group, n = 100). Postoperative cell response, cellular prec ipitates on the IOL, and presence of PCO were evaluated. Results: Ther e were no significant differences between groups in postoperative infl ammation. The incidence of cellular precipitates was significantly low er in the heparin group than in the control group (P < .001). A neodym ium:YAG (Nd:YAG) posterior capsulotomy was done in 7 patients in the h eparin group and 14 in the control group (P = .15). During the first 2 4 months after surgery, the heparin group had a significantly lower in cidence of Nd:YAG capsulotomy (P < .05) and fibrotic PCO (P = .02). Co nclusion: Topical heparin eyedrops were effective in reducing fibrotic PCO in the long term, indicating their usefulness in the postoperativ e management of ECCE.