Reproducibility of standardized retroillumination photography for quantification of posterior capsule opacification.

Purpose: To determine the short-term reproducibility of standardized digital retroillumination images of regeneratory posterior capsule opacification (PCO) using the photographic setup at 1 institution.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Methods: In this prospective study, 60 retroillumination images of 30 eyes with varying degrees of PCO and different types of intraocular lenses were acquired with a standardized digital coaxial retroillumination system. Two images were taken per eye with a 1-minute interval between images. Ten other eyes were photographed in the same way but with a 5-day interval between the 2 images. All images were evaluated with a fully automated, objective PCO analysis software in which the PCO score was from 0 to 100. The 2 results (A, B) in each eye were compared, and the differences were calculated.

Results: There was a high correlation between the A and B results (r = 0.99). The mean absolute difference was 3.7%. The repeatability coefficient was 8.8%.

Conclusion: Digital coaxial retroillumination photography provided quick acquisition of regeneratory PCO images. It provided excellent image quality and high reproducibility. The technique forms a good basis for automated quantification of PCO with new software systems.