Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and visual significance of g
listenings seen in the AcrySof (R) intraocular lens (IOL) and determine whe
ther a large in-depth study of this lens is warranted.
Setting: John Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, U
SA.
Methods: Patients who had the AcrySof IOL implanted at 1 institution over t
he past 4 years were serially selected. Forty-two eyes that had phacoemulsi
fication with implantation of the AcrySof IOL were evaluated. The examinati
on consisted of visual acuity, glare, contrast sensitivity, and dilated fun
dus and dilated slitlamp evaluations. Glistenings in the IOL were graded at
the slitlamp from trace to 4+.
Results: All 42 IOLs had some degree of lenticular glistenings. The glisten
ings were graded as trace in 27 IOLs (64%), 1 + in 5 (12%), 2+ in 5 (12%),
3+ in 3 (7%), and 4+ in 2 (5%). The Snellen acuity in eyes with severe glis
tenings (greater than or equal to2+) was one-half line lower than in eyes w
ith mild glistenings (+) (P = .01). In all eyes, the Brightness Acuity Test
er score was a little more than one-half line lower than the Snellen acuity
, and the difference was 1 full line in eyes with glistenings graded above
2+. Fourteen of 15 IOLs (93%) with glistenings graded greater than trace ha
d been in the eye for more than 1 year. There was no evidence that contrast
sensitivity was affected by the glistenings.
Conclusions Glistenings occurred frequently in AcrySof IOLs, with most case
s mild. A larger study of this lens is needed to determine whether severe p
resentations affect visual function and to understand how glistenings chang
e over time.