Comparison of incidence of early posterior capsule opacification (PCO) following manual small incision cataract surgery in patients who were implanted rigid PMMA IOL under air, BSS and viscoelastics

Background and Objectives: Comparison of incidence of early posterior capsule opacification (PCO) following manual small incision cataract surgery in patients who were implanted rigid PMMA IOL under air, BSS and viscoelastics. Methods: 219 eyes of patients, divided into three groups of 73 each followed up over the course of 24 months and the incidence of PCO noted at each visit. P<0.05 was considered as a statistical level of significance.

Conclusion: The overall incidence of PCO at the end of 24 months study period was 13.6% in our study. No significant statistical difference in the PCO rates among those implanted PMMA IOL under air, saline and visco was observed (p=0.87). Minimal cost benefit was afforded for each patient operated under air and BSS than when compared with viscoelastics. Post-operative complications and post op IOP spikes were more to do with the surgeon factor than due to viscoelastics per se (p>0.05).