Dislocation force of scleral flange-fixated intraocular lens haptics.

PURPOSE: To measure the dislocation forces in relation to haptic material, flange size and needle used. SETTING: Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Laboratory Investigation. METHODS, MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 30 G (gauge) thin wall and 27 G standard needles were used for a 2 mm tangential scleral tunnel in combination with different PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) and PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate haptics). Flanges were created by heating 1 mm of the haptic end, non-forceps assisted in PVDF and forceps assisted in PMMA haptics. The dislocation force was measured in non-preserved cadaver sclera using a tensiometer device. RESULTS: PVDF flanges achieved were of a mushroom-like shape and PMMA flanges were of a conic shape. For 30 G needle tunnels the dislocation forces for PVDF and PMMA haptic flanges were 1.58 ± 0.68 N (n = 10) and 0.70 ± 0.14 N (n = 9) (p = 0.003) respectively. For 27 G needle tunnels the dislocation forces for PVDF and PMMA haptic flanges were 0.31 ± 0.35 N (n = 3) and 0.0 N (n = 4), respectively. The flange size correlated with the occurring dislocation force in experiments with 30 G needle tunnels (r = 0.92), when flanges were bigger than 384 micrometres. CONCLUSIONS: The highest dislocation forces were found for PVDF haptic flanges and their characteristic mushroom-like shape for 30 G thin wall needle scleral tunnels. Forceps assisted flange creation in PMMA haptics did not compensate the disadvantage of PMMA haptics with their characteristic conic shape flange.

Quality assurance via telephone interviews after cataract surgery: An explorative study.

INTRODUCTION: Cataract surgery is a relatively safe procedure with satisfactory postoperative results in most patients. However, in rare cases severe complications can occur shortly after the intervention. Therefore, patients are advised to undergo an ophthalmological examination postoperatively, which should be performed as soon as possible in case of emergencies. However, exactly when these follow-up visits should take place is still discussed. A time- and cost-saving alternative to this could be short-term postoperative telemedical approaches. The aim of this study was to analyze patient complaints as well as satisfaction with and the best timepoint to perform telephone calls after cataract surgery. METHODS: Patients scheduled for cataract surgery received a telephone call on the surgery day or the day after (study group) during which they were asked about complaints or additional examination visits. Patients without telephone calls served as control group. All patients had a follow-up visit one week after the intervention during which a questionnaire was filled out and the study group was asked about their satisfaction with the telephone calls. RESULTS: 181 patients were recruited in this study. Ocular surface problems were the most common postoperative symptom. More than 80% of the patients were very satisfied with the telephone calls, with patients being contacted on the day of surgery being more calmed than those called on the next day. No difference in additional and planned follow-up visits was found between the study and the control group (P > .40). Postoperative patient complaints (Phi 0.372, P < .001) and additional prescribed therapy (Phi 0.480, P < .001) were moderately associated with additional visits. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction with telephone reviews shortly after cataract surgery was very high and contacting patients on the evening of the day of the procedure could be a time- and cost-saving alternative to short-term in-house follow-up visits.

Influence of sutureless scleral fixation techniques with 3-piece IOLs on dislocation force.

PURPOSE: To compare four different secondary IOL fixation techniques regarding the least required force to dislocate a scleral fixated 3-piece IOL in human corneoscleral donor tissue (CST). DESIGN: Experimental Laboratory investigation METHODS: The least required dislocation force (LRDF) of four different secondary IOL fixation techniques, namely the techniques using transscleral tunnels (TT, as described by Scharioth), glued haptics (GH, Argawa), flanged haptics (FH, Yamane) and bent haptic ends (BH, Behera/Bolz) were investigated using 40 three-piece IOLs (Sensar AR40) fixated to human scleral tissue. The main outcome of the study, dislocation force between different techniques, was measured with a tensiometer. RESULTS: The dislocation force needed to dislocate the haptics was highest with the FH technique and was significantly higher than with all the other techniques (GH vs FH: -1.02±0.02 N, p<0.001; TT vs FH: -1.08±0.21 N, p<0.001; BH vs FH: -1.00±0.25 N, p=0.044). There was no significant difference regarding the dislocation force between the other techniques (GH vs TT (-0.06±0.100 N, p=0.988), GH vs BH (-0.02±0.03 N, p=0.60), TT vs BH (-0.08±0.04 N, p=1.000). CONCLUSIONS: The flange haptic technique as described by Yamane proved to be the strongest form of secondary IOL fixation regarding dislocation force in this in vitro study. The other fixation techniques showed significantly less resistance to axial traction.

Attaining the optimal flange technique for transscleral capsular bag stabilization using iris hooks.

PURPOSE: To investigate the flange properties of different iris hooks. SETTING: Vienna Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery (VIROS), Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Laboratory study. METHODS: The flanging properties of 4 different iris hooks made from polypropylene (PP), elastic polymer (EP), and nylon were investigated with different heating distances and both with and without forceps gripping. The maximum diameter of the flanges was measured, and the shape of the flanges was evaluated. RESULTS: Although both nylon and EP iris hooks had too small flange diameters for intrascleral fixation, PP iris hooks had a sufficient flange diameter (>330 µm) and mushroom-like shape. Furthermore, in PP hooks, heating distance was directly proportional to flange diameter. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that only PP iris hooks are suitable for flanged intrascleral fixation, which is off-label, to secure adequate fixation.

Repeatability of biometry in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction before and after vectored thermal pulsation therapy: A randomized, controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of vectored thermal pulsation therapy (VTPT) on the repeatability of biometry readings of two different optical biometers in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: Patients affected by MGD were included in this prospective, randomized, controlled, investigator-masked study. One eye was randomized to VTPT (LipiFlow®, Johnson & Johnson), and the contralateral eye served as a control. Three visits were scheduled at baseline, 2 weeks and 3 months after the treatment. The main outcome parameter of the study was the repeatability of three calculations of emmetropic intraocular lens power (EIOLP) at the 3 months visit as compared to baseline using an optical biometer (IOLMaster® 700, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG). Repeatability of different keratometry values obtained by the optical biometer and a Placido-disc topographer (MS-39®, CSO) served as secondary outcome parameters. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. While tear film parameters improved in the study eyes, there were no significant differences regarding the repeatability of three EIOLP measurements between baseline and 3-months-visit in both eyes (p > 0.05) and keratometry measurements in both the optical biometer and the Placido-disc topographer. Remarkably, throughout all study visits, there were some outliers regarding the repeatability of measurements. CONCLUSION: While both devices showed high repeatability regarding EIOLP and keratometry, future studies are needed to detect high-risk patients for poor repeatability.

Differences Between Keratometry and Total Keratometry Measurements in a Large Dataset Obtained With a Modern Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography Biometer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the concept of total keratometry (TK) by analyzing extensive international datasets representing diverse ethnic backgrounds. The primary objective was to quantify the disparities between traditional keratometry (K) and TK values in normal eyes and assess their impact on intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations using various formulas. DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter intra-instrument reliability analysis. METHODS: The study involved the analysis of biometry data collected from ten international centers across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Corneal power was expressed as equivalent power and astigmatic vector components for both K and TK values. The study assessed the influence of these differences on IOL power calculations using different formulas. The results were analyzed and plotted using Bland-Altman and double angle plots. RESULTS: The study encompassed a total of 116,982 measurements from 57,862 right eyes and 59,120 left eyes. The analysis revealed a high level of agreement between K and TK values, with 93.98% of eyes exhibiting an absolute difference of 0.25 D or less. Astigmatism vector differences exceeding 0.25 D and 0.50 D were observed in 39.43% and 1.08% of eyes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale study underscores the similarity between mean K and TK values in healthy eyes, with rare clinical implications for IOL power calculation. Noteworthy differences were observed in astigmatism values between K and TK. Future investigations should delve into the practicality of TK values for astigmatism correction and their implications for surgical outcomes.

Occurrence of Corneal Staining after Cataract Surgery with and without Chitosan-N-Acetylcysteine Eye Drops.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ocular surface damage assessed by corneal staining scores right after cataract surgery and whether it can be prevented using chitosan-N-acetylcysteine (C-NAC) eye drops. METHODS: We included patients scheduled for routine cataract surgery. Each patient was randomly assigned to one of three groups. Patients in group 1 underwent routine cataract surgery with no additional eye drops. In group 2, patients received C-NAC eye drops after cataract surgery, and in group 3, C-NAC was applied both before and after surgery. Both groups continued the treatment once daily for 4 days. Ocular surface alteration was assessed using the National Eye Institute (NEI) score, and the visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate subjective complaints. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were included in the final analyses. One hour after cataract surgery, a statistically significant increase in corneal fluorescein staining was observed in all groups, which decreased again after 1 week. There was no significant difference between the groups 1 h after cataract surgery, though a tendency toward lower NEI scores was observed during this time point in group 3. DISCUSSION: Cataract surgery induced ocular surface staining and subjective complaints after 1 h. However, the increase in VAS score was small and probably not clinically relevant. The application of perioperative C-NAC eye drops did reduce the rate of corneal staining after cataract surgery in a clinically relevant manner.

Comparison of corneal aberrations from anterior segment swept source OCT versus Placido-topography combined spectral domain OCT in cataract patients.

BACKGROUND: To comprehensively evaluate the agreement of component corneal aberrations from the newly updated wavefront analysis software of a swept-source optical coherence tomographer (SS-OCT) and a referential Placido-topography combined OCT device in elderly cataract patients. METHODS: Retrospective study including 103 eyes from 103 elderly patients scheduled for cataract surgery that were measured on the same day with a SS-OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) device and a Placido-topography combined OCT device (CSO, Italy). Anterior, total, and posterior corneal wavefront aberrations were evaluated for their mean differences and limits of agreement (LoA) via Bland-Altman plots. Vector analysis was additionally employed to compare corneal astigmatism measurements in dioptric vector space. RESULTS: Mean differences of all corneal aberrometric parameters did not exceed 0.05 µm. Total corneal aberrations were not significantly different from 0 except for vertical coma (- 0.04 µm; P = 0.003), spherical aberration (- 0.01 µm, P < 0.001), and root mean square (RMS) higher-order aberration (HOA) (0.03 µm, P = 0.04). The 95% LoA for total corneal aberration parameters between both devices were - 0.46 to 0.42 µm for horizontal astigmatism, - 0.37 to 0.41 µm for oblique astigmatism, - 0.19 to 0.17 µm for oblique trefoil, - 0.33 to 0.25 µm for vertical coma, - 0.20 to 0.22 µm for horizontal coma, - 0.22 to 0.20 µm for horizontal trefoil, - 0.11 to 0.08 µm for spherical aberration, and - 0.22 to 0.28 µm for RMS HOA. Vector analysis revealed no statistically significant mean differences for anterior, total, and posterior corneal astigmatism in dioptric vector space. CONCLUSION: In eyes undergoing cataract surgery with a regular elderly cornea, corneal wavefront analysis from the SS-OCT device showed functional equivalency to the reference device. Nevertheless, clinically relevant higher order aberration parameters should be interpreted with caution for surgical decision-making.

Assessing the astigmatism-reducing effect of toric intraocular lenses in eyes with low astigmatism: randomized masked bilateral comparison.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the astigmatism-reducing effect of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) for low amounts of corneal astigmatism. SETTING: Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Randomized, masked, controlled trial with bilateral comparison. METHODS: Patients scheduled for bilateral cataract surgery and a corneal astigmatism in both eyes between 0.75 diopters (D) and 1.5 D were included in this study. The first eye was randomized to receive either a toric IOL or a nontoric IOL, and the contralateral eye received the other type of IOL. At the follow-up visits, optical biometry, corneal measurements with tomography and topography, autorefraction, subjective refraction, corrected and uncorrected distance visual acuity (CDVA/UDVA) with ETDRS charts and a questionnaire were performed. RESULTS: 58 eyes were included in the study. Postoperative median UDVA was 0.00 (logMAR) in the toric eyes and 0.10 in the nontoric eyes ( P = .03). The median CDVA was 0.00 in both groups ( P = .60). Median residual astigmatism determined by subjective refraction and autorefraction in the toric eyes was 0.25 D and 0.50 D, respectively ( P = .04), and 0.50 D and 1.00 D in the nontoric eyes, respectively ( P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of a toric IOL appears to be appropriate from a threshold value of approximately 0.75 D preoperative corneal astigmatism. Further studies in a larger patient population are needed to confirm these results.

Size variability and fitting of 30-gauge thin-wall needles and 3-piece intraocular lens haptics for the flanged intrascleral fixation technique.

PURPOSE: To assess the diameter of different 30-gauge thin-wall needles and 3-piece intraocular lens (IOL) haptics readily used for the flanged-haptic intrascleral fixation technique. SETTING: Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Laboratory investigation. METHODS: 5 30-gauge thin-wall needles and 5 3-piece IOLs were assessed. An upright light microscopy was used for measurements. The inner and outer diameters of the needles and the end thickness of the haptics were analyzed and compared for haptic fitting into the needle. RESULTS: Among the needles, the inner diameter of the T-lab needle was significantly wider compared with all the others (mean 209.3 ± 8.0 µm, P < .001), followed by TSK (194.8 ± 5.0 µm), MST (194.7 ± 5.8 µm), Sterimedix (187.5 ± 9.0 µm) and significantly narrower Meso-relle (mean 178.7 ± 7.0 µm, P < .05). The outer diameter of the T-lab needle was significantly larger of all (mean 316.0 ± 2.0 µm, P < .001). Concerning the IOLs, the AvanseePreset Kowa's haptic was significantly thinner (mean 127.2 ± 0.7 µm) than all the others, such as the TecnisZA900 Johnson & Johnson (143.5 ± 3.1 µm), the CTLucia202 Zeiss (143.8 ± 1.3 µm), and the AcrysofMA60AC Alcon (143.9 ± 1.4 µm). The only haptic that was thicker than all the others assessed was that of SensarAR40 Johnson & Johnson (170.7 ± 1.7 µm, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the analyzed haptics would fit into most of the measured needles, with the exception of the Sensar AR40 in combination with the Meso-relle or Sterimedix needles. The combination of a larger needle lumen and a thinner haptic could result in more ease of insertion during surgery. If the dimensions of the needle and IOL haptics used are unknown, we recommend trying insertion before beginning surgery.

Rotational stability of a new toric intraocular lens with an advanced optical profile.

PURPOSE: To examine the rotational stability of a new toric intraocular lens (IOL), the TECNIS Eyhance Toric II, over a course of 3 months. SETTING: Vienna Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery, Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Prospective unmasked single-center study. METHODS: 50 eyes of 50 patients with cataract and regular corneal astigmatism ≥0.75 diopters (D) were included. The TECNIS Eyhance Toric II IOL was implanted in 1 eye of each study patient. Images of the alignment axis of the IOL were taken intraoperatively, as well as at 1 hour, 1 week, and 3 months postoperatively. For the measurement of toric IOL rotation, images were superimposed on the basis of ocular landmarks. Uncorrected and corrected distance (4 m) and intermediate (66 cm) visual acuities were assessed at the 3-month visit. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the rotational position between the intraoperative and 3 month timepoints, with a mean rotation of 1.34 ± 1.46 degrees, in 27 examined eyes. ( P = 0.313). No patients had to undergo repositioning of the toric IOL. A significant reduction of refractive cylinder occurred from preoperatively 1.8 ± 1.1 to 0.40 ± 0.42 D at the 3-month visit ( P = .001; n = 43). The corrected distance visual acuity improved significantly from 0.28 ± 0.16 logMAR preoperatively to -0.01 ± 0.13 logMAR at 3 months postoperatively ( P = .001; n = 43). CONCLUSIONS: The TECNIS Eyhance Toric II showed a good visual performance with no significant rotation over a course of 3 months and, therefore, an excellent rotational stability. The intraocular lens showed a good safety profile with no adverse events.

ILM peeling with ILM flap transposition vs. classic ILM peeling for small and medium macula holes-a prospective randomized trial.

Background: The aim of the present study was to compare macular hole closure rates of patients with small and medium-sized macular holes who underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling combined with ILM flap transposition over the macular hole, compared with classic ILM peeling. Methods: This prospective randomized trial was designed as a pilot study with two groups: ILM peeling with ILM flap transposition over the macular hole vs. classic ILM peeling. Results: Among 20 patients recruited, complete analysis could be performed for 16 patients. The macular hole closure rates were 100% in both groups, without significant differences with respect to postsurgical subfoveal hyporeflective zones (p = 1.0, Fisher's exact test), postsurgical visual acuity (p = 0.7, t-test), and postsurgical irregularities of the ellipsoid zone (p = 1.0, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion: Vitrectomy with ILM peeling combined with ILM flap transposition over the macular hole and classic ILM peeling are both successful methods for the repair of macular holes of small and medium size and are associated with comparable outcomes.

Effect of Air Tamponade among Patients with Epiretinal Membranes and Intraretinal Cystoid Changes Undergoing Vitrectomy with Membrane Peeling - A Prospective Randomized Trial. / Effekt der Lufttamponade bei Patienten mit epiretinalen Membranen und intraretinalen zystoiden Veränderungen nach Vitrektomie mit Membrane Peeling ­ eine prospektive randomisierte Studie.

BACKGROUND: The effect of air tamponade among patients undergoing vitrectomy with membrane peeling for removal of epiretinal membranes (ERM) is controversially discussed. The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in outcomes between air tamponade and balanced salt solution (BSS) in a study population with preoperative intraretinal cystoid changes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized study included patients scheduled for pars plana vitrectomy with membrane peeling owing to ERM and intraretinal cystoid changes. Air tamponade or BSS at the end of surgery was applied according to preoperative randomization. Optical coherence tomography and best-corrected distance visual acuity (DCVA) measurements were performed before surgery, 5 days after surgery, and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: From 96 patients included, 85 eyes had full follow-up and could be included for analysis. Median improvement of DCVA was + 16 EDTRS letters (IQR: 8 to 22) among patients with BSS, while it was + 13 EDTRS letters (IQR: 8 to 17) among patients with air tamponade. There was a trend for better improvement of DCVA when BSS was left at the end of surgery, compared to air tamponade, but not reaching statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: There were no statistically significant differences concerning resorption of preoperative intraretinal cystoid changes, improvement of visual acuity, and final DVCA between air tamponade and BSS.

Diagnostic accuracy of code-free deep learning for detection and evaluation of posterior capsule opacification.

OBJECTIVE: To train and validate a code-free deep learning system (CFDLS) on classifying high-resolution digital retroillumination images of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and to discriminate between clinically significant and non-significant PCOs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: For this retrospective registry study, three expert observers graded two independent datasets of 279 images three separate times with no PCO to severe PCO, providing binary labels for clinical significance. The CFDLS was trained and internally validated using 179 images of a training dataset and externally validated with 100 images. Model development was through Google Cloud AutoML Vision. Intraobserver and interobserver variabilities were assessed using Fleiss kappa (κ) coefficients and model performance through sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Intraobserver variability κ values for observers 1, 2 and 3 were 0.90 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.95), 0.94 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.97) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.93). Interobserver agreement was high, ranging from 0.85 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.90) between observers 1 and 2 to 0.90 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.94) for observers 1 and 3. On internal validation, the AUC of the CFDLS was 0.99 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.0); sensitivity was 0.89 at a specificity of 1. On external validation, the AUC was 0.97 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.99); sensitivity was 0.84 and specificity was 0.92. CONCLUSION: This CFDLS provides highly accurate discrimination between clinically significant and non-significant PCO equivalent to human expert graders. The clinical value as a potential decision support tool in different models of care warrants further research.

Attaining optimal flange size with 5-0 and 6-0 polypropylene sutures for scleral fixation.

A technique for achieving an optimal flange size with 5-0 polypropylene and 6-0 polypropylene used for flanged intrascleral intraocular lens fixation is described. Flange size in polypropylene sutures is dependent on heating length and independent of forceps grip during heating. It was identified that heating of 1 mm created the optimal flange size for a 5-0 polypropylene suture when used for a 27-gauge needle scleral tunnel and for a 6-0 polypropylene suture when used for a 30-gauge needle scleral tunnel. Alternatively, 2 mm heating of a 6-0 polypropylene suture fits well for a 27-gauge needle tunnel. Even gentle forceps grip caused flattening of the polypropylene sutures but did not influence shaping and sizing of the flange.

The human lens: An antioxidant-dependent tissue revealed by the role of caffeine.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and surgery is the only option to treat the disease. Although the surgery is considered to be relatively safe, complications may occur in a subset of patients and access to ophthalmic care may be limited. Due to a growing and ageing population, an increase in cataract prevalence is expected and its management will become a socioeconomic challenge. Hence, there is a need for an alternative to cataract surgery. It is well known that oxidative stress is one of the main pathological processes leading to the generation of the disease. Antioxidant supplementation may, therefore, be a strategy to delay or to prevent the progression of cataract. Caffeine is a widely consumed high-potency antioxidant and may be of interest for the prevention of the disease. This review aims to give an overview of the anatomy and function of the lens, its antioxidant and reactive oxygen species (ROS) composition, and the role of oxidative stress in cataractogenesis. Also, the pharmacokinetics and -dynamics of caffeine will be described and the literature will be reviewed to give an overview of its anti-cataract potential and its possible role in the prevention of the disease.

New approach to quantifying acute stress in cataract surgeons to investigate the relationship between surgeon experience and intraoperative stress.

PURPOSE: To quantify intraoperative stress levels in cataract surgeons and investigate the relationship between intraoperative stress and surgeon experience. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Hanusch Krankenhaus, Vienna, Austria. DESIGN: Prospective, observational case series. METHODS: 5 ophthalmologists with surgery experiences of 70 to 15 000 previous surgeries volunteered for this study. Surgeons' heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured during a total of 45 cataract surgeries. HR and HRV values were normalized to the minimal HR and maximal HRV of an overnight baseline measurement. The resulting normalized HR measure and HRV stress index are stress dependent and comparable between subjects. No case selection was performed. RESULTS: Less experienced surgeons showed higher HRV stress indices; differences between the surgeons with less than 180 and 500 surgeries and the 2 with 600 and 1500 surgeries, respectively, were statistically significant (α = 0.05). No statistically significant difference in stress indices was found between surgeons with 1500 and 15 000 surgeries, suggesting that there may be a plateau effect after 1500 surgeries. HRV stress indices and case times were negatively correlated with the logarithm of experience in the number of previously performed surgeries (r2 = 0.67 and 0.52). No significant stress buildup over multiple successive surgeries was found (α = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new HRV stress index is a simple but powerful tool for quantifying intraoperative stress in cataract surgeons. Decreases in stress with increasing experience are congruent with previous works on general surgeons' stress and follow a similar timeline as previously published, proficiency-based learning curves for cataract surgery.

Comparison of methods to experimentally induce opacification and elasticity change in ex vivo porcine lenses.

At the moment, cataract, which is the opacification of the eye's lens, can only be treated by surgery. In order to develop and test new pharmacological treatment strategies for the disease, there is a need for an appropriate in vitro model using ex vivo animal lenses. In this study, porcine lenses were incubated in either culture medium, glucose, triamcinolone acetonide, sodium chloride, hydrogen peroxide, sodium selenite, neutral buffered formalin, or were exposed to microwave heating to experimentally induce lens opacification. Changes in the lens morphology, weight, size, and elasticity were monitored 7 days after treatment. The fastest induction of dense opacification was seen in lenses exposed to sodium chloride, neutral buffered formalin, and microwave heating. No change in the size and weight of the lenses were detected, whereas loss in elasticity could be detected in lenses treated with formalin solution or microwave heating. Thus, neutral buffered formalin- and microwave-treated ex vivo porcine lenses seem to be a suitable model for mature cataracts, whereas hypertonic sodium chloride may be useful for studies on osmolarity-induced lens opacification.

Computer-Based Tutorial to Enhance the Informed Consent Process for Cataract Surgery in Serbian- or Turkish-Speaking Patients.

INTRODUCTION: This study analyses if a translated version of the CatInfo tool increases the knowledge of Serbian- and Turkish-speaking patients about cataract surgery. METHODS: In total, 61 cataract patients, literate in Serbian or Turkish, were randomly allocated into two groups. Via an interactive computer-based tool ("CatInfo"), patients either saw a detailed audio-visual presentation about cataract surgery (study group) or a "placebo" video (control group). Afterwards, all participants had a face-to-face discussion with an ophthalmologist. Immediately after the interview and on the day of surgery, all patients had to fill out a questionnaire including knowledge and demographic questions. Patients in the study group were further asked about their satisfaction with the CatInfo tool and the usefulness of such a device before other interventions. RESULTS: Patients in the study group answered significantly more questions correctly compared to the control group, and this information gain remained stable over a 1-week period. There was a significant low negative correlation between educational level and the test results, whereas age and computer habits of the participants did not have an influence on correct answers. Satisfaction with the CatInfo tool was high in the Serbian and the Turkish group (96% and 84%, respectively), and 92% of Serbian patients as well as 62% of the Turkish patients rated that they could imagine to use such a device before any other surgery. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The translated version of the CatInfo tool improved patients' knowledge, and this information gain remained stable until the day of the surgery.

Visual Performance of Two Diffractive Trifocal Intraocular Lenses: A Randomized Trial.

PURPOSE: To compare two trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs), the RayOne Trifocal RAO603F IOL (closed-loop haptic IOL; Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited) and the AT Lisa tri 839 MP IOL (plate-haptic IOL; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG), concerning optical and capsular bag performance. METHODS: Patients scheduled for cataract surgery received either a closed-loop haptic IOL or a plate-haptic IOL in the first eye and the other IOL in the second eye. Three months postoperatively, autorefraction and subjective refraction, uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity at 4 m, 80 cm, and 40 cm, an objective reading test (Salzburg Reading Desk; SRD Vision), a defocus curve, IOL tilt and decentration, a questionnaire about dysphotopsia, and grading of halos with a halometer were performed. RESULTS: Eighty-eight eyes of 44 patients were included. Visual acuity was comparable between both IOLs. The closed-loop haptic IOL performed better in the defocus curve at -1.50 diopters (D) (0.08 ± 0.10 vs 0.12 ± 0.09 logMAR; P < .01). The plate-haptic IOL had better contrast sensitivity without glare under mesopic and photopic conditions in miosis (P = .0018 and .002, respectively) and mydriasis (P = .017 and .003, respectively). Significant differences were found for less overall subjective disturbance (P = .047) and starbursts (P = .039) for the plate-haptic IOL, but not for the other positive dysphotopsia symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Both trifocal IOLs delivered good and comparable visual function with low degrees of disturbing dysphotopsia. The closed-loop haptic IOL was slightly superior in the defocus curve, whereas the plate-haptic IOL was slightly superior concerning contrast sensitivity and positive dysphotopsia. [J Refract Surg. 2021;37(7):460-465.].