[Validity of anterior chamber depth measurements for the evaluation of accommodation after implantation of an accommodative Humanoptics 1CU intraocular lens]

Abstract

Background: Changes in the anterior chamber depth (ACD) after pilocarpin application are generally regarded as reflecting an accommodative effect of accommodative intraocular lenses (IOLs)

Methods: We implanted Humanoptics 1CU accommodative IOLs into 25 eyes of 20 patients aged 53.2+/-14.7 years (range: 30-83 years). In seven of these patients, we were able to measure anterior chamber depth changes after the application of pilocarpine (2%) eye drops 3 months postoperatively using a Zeiss IOLMaster, an Orbscan II topography system, as well as by ultrasound biomicroscopy (20 MHz-US-head).

Results: Uncorrected near acuity was on average 0.4+/-0.23 (0.1-0.8) and uncorrected distance acuity was 0.76+/-0.23 (0.3-1). Before pilocarpine, ACD was 3.19+/-2.11 mm (IOL-Master), 3.35+/-2.22 mm (Orbscan II) and 3.35+/-2.21 mm (US-biomicroscopy) ( P=0.96). After pilocarpine, ACD was 2.61+/-1.71 mm (IOL-Master), 2.63+/-1.78 mm (Orbscan II) and 3.15+/-2.08 mm (US-biomicroscopy) ( P=0.002). The average individual ACD change before/after pilocarpine was 0.83+/-0.25 mm with the IOL-Master, 1.04+/-0.39 mm with the Orbscan II System and 0.28+/-0.14 with US-biomicroscopy ( P=0.0004).

Discussion: The 1CU Humanoptics accommodative IOL presented with potential accommodative capabilities in clinical evaluation. Drug induced accommodation by pilocarpine does not reflect real accommodative effects. The differences in ACD measurements between three different methods were statistically significant. Evaluation methods for accommodative IOLs should be carefully analysed and further development of objective means for evaluation is needed.