RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prospective analysis of long-term results after small incision no-stitch phacoemulsification with implantation of foldable silicone IOL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 100 consecutive patients we implanted through a 3.2 mm incision a STAAR-silicone IOL model AA4203. Uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, surgically induced astigmatism and postoperative complications were examined at 1 day, 3 months and 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: On day 1 postop. 75% of the patients achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 0.5 or more. The mean best corrected visual acuity at day 1 was 0.75 (0.22 SD). The vector analysis of the surgically induced astigmatism does not show any difference between day 1 and 1 year postop. with a mean induced astigmatism of 0.73 dpt. 12 Months after surgery we found 3 cases of cystoid macula edema and 3 cases of clinically significant secondary cataract. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical long-term results after implantation of foldable silicon-IOL are comparable with the results after implantation of rigid PMMA lenses. The optical rehabilitation is much faster and contributes to lower the costs of modern cataract surgery.