Heparin surface-modified intraocular lenses in patients with inactive uveitis or diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether heparin surface-modified (HSM) intraocular lenses (IOLs) with a hydrophilic surface would reduce cell adherence and other postoperative changes compared with the conventional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) IOLs in patients with either diabetes mellitus or inactive uveitis.

DESIGN: The study design was a randomized, double-masked, clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five patients with bilateral cataracts, 14 with inactive anterior uveitis and 11 with diabetes, with an age range of 11 to 81 years (mean, 52.8 years) participated.

INTERVENTION: Bilateral cataract extraction with posterior chamber IOL implantation was measured, each patient receiving an HSM lens in one eye and a PMMA lens in the other. Pharmacia one-piece HSM and PMMA IOLs were used. Postoperative ocular changes were evaluated at regular intervals for 24 months in patients with inactive uveitis and for 6 months in patients with diabetes. Patients and physicians alike were unaware of which eye contained which lens until postoperative results were compiled. Records were kept by a study coordinator.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparisons of posterior synechiae, IOL cellular deposits, and posterior capsular fibrosis between PMMA and HSM IOLs were measured.

RESULTS: Using the chi-square test, no statistically significant difference was found between the HSM and PMMA IOLs in the number of cellular deposits found on the anterior IOL surface, the number of adhesions between the iris and IOL, or the incidence of capsular opacification.

CONCLUSION: The HSM and PMMA IOLs showed similar postoperative results in patients with inactive uveitis or diabetes mellitus.