Evaluation of posterior capsule opacification using a new posterior view method in rabbits - Single-piece acrylic versus 3-piece acrylic intraocular lens

PURPOSE: To introduce a new procedure for evaluating posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in rabbit eyes and to perform a comparative study of the single-piece and 3-piece acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) on PCO using the new evaluation method. SETTING: Jinshikai Medical Foundation, Nishi Eye Hospital, Osaka, Japan. METHODS: A single-piece or 3-piece acrylic IOL was implanted in 1 eye and the other in the contralateral eye of 5 rabbits. Three weeks after surgery, PCO was scored by Evaluation of Posterior Capsule Opacification (EPCO) in posterior view. Before the posterior view was photographed, the anterior capsule was removed from the whole optic area to eliminate disturbing anterior capsule opacification (ACO) for the PCO evaluation. RESULTS: Posterior capsule opacification could be well observed and viewed in the posterior view so that it could be scored by EPCO without confusion with ACO. The mean PCO score of the single-piece and 3-piece acrylic IOLs was 3.12 +/- 0.19 and 2.41 +/- 0.70, respectively (P<.05 and P = .03, respectively). CONCLUSION: The removal of ACO allowed scoring of PCO by EPCO in rabbit eyes. The single-piece acrylic IOL showed significantly more PCO than the 3-piece acrylic IOL at least 3 weeks after surgery in rabbits.