Nd:YAG Capsulotomy Rates With Two Trifocal Intraocular Lenses

PURPOSE: To compare Nd: YAG capsulotomy rates following implantation of two diffractive trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs). METHODS: This multi-center retrospective analysis included patients who underwent uncomplicated lens phacoemulsification and were implanted with a diffractive trifocal IOL: FineVision MicroF (PhysIOL, Liege, Belgium) or AT Lisa tri 839MP (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany). All surgeries were performed during the same period. The postoperative follow-up period was at least 1 year. Chi-square and Kaplan-Meier tests analyzed non-parametric estimates for survival/failure functions. The Wilcoxon (Breslow) test compared Nd: YAG capsulotomy rates between the two groups. RESULTS: Of 5,130 eyes included, 3,387 were implanted with the FineVision MicroF IOL and 1,743 with the AT Lisa tri 839MP IOL. There were no statistical differences in age, axial length, or IOL power between groups. Nd: YAG capsulotomies were necessary in 330 eyes (9%) in the FineVision group and 408 eyes (23%) in the AT Lisa tri group (P < .001). The probability of having Nd: YAG capsulotomy up to 9 months post-operatively was equal for both lenses. Beyond 9 months, the Nd: YAG capsulotomy rate increased significantly more in the AT Lisa tri group, reaching a probability of 35% for eyes with a follow-up of 34 to 44 months, whereas in the FineVision group the probability was 14% after a follow-up of 37 to 47 months. The differences in survival (without Nd: YAG capsulotomy)/failure (with Nd: YAG capsulotomy) functions were significant (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes implanted with the FineVision MicroF IOL required significantly fewer Nd: YAG laser capsulotomies than those with the AT Lisa tri 839MP IOL during the first years after implantation. The design of the IOL platforms could account for these differences.