Contrast sensitivity and glare disability after implantation of AcrySof IQ Natural aspherical intraocular lens: prospective randomized masked clinical trial.

Purpose: To evaluate contrast sensitivity and glare disability after implantation of an AcrySof IQ Natural SN60WF aspherical intraocular lens (IOL) (Alcon Laboratories).

Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India.

Methods: One hundred twenty consecutive patients who had phacoemulsification in a prospective triple-masked trial were randomized to receive an AcrySof SA60AT IOL (40 eyes), AcrySof Natural SN60AT IOL (40 eyes), or AcrySof IQ SN60WF IOL (40 eyes). At 3 months, contrast sensitivity was measured using the CSV-1000E contrast sensitivity chart test face (Vector Vision) at 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degrees (cpd) under photopic conditions (85 cd/m(2)) and mesopic conditions (2.7 cd/m(2)) with 4.0 mm and 6.0 mm fixed central apertures, with and without glare. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used and a pair-wise comparison performed. The main outcome measure was the difference in contrast sensitivity between IOLs at each spatial frequency.

Results: The best corrected visual acuity was similar between the 3 IOL groups (P = .6). The AcrySof IQ group had significantly higher contrast sensitivity at 18 cpd under photopic conditions (P = .008); at 3, 6, 12, and 18 cpd during mesopic testing with a 4.0 mm aperture without glare (P = .018, P = .011, P = .007, and P = .0001, respectively) and with glare (P = .003, P = .006, P = .005, and P = .004, respectively); and at all spatial frequencies during mesopic testing with a 6.0 mm aperture without glare (P = .018, P = .006, P = .009, and P = .0001, respectively) and with glare (P = .019, P = .002, P = .01, and P = .017, respectively).

Conclusion: Eyes with the AcrySof IQ SN60WF IOL had significantly higher contrast sensitivity than eyes with an AcrySof SA60AT or AcrySof Natural SN60AT IOL at all spatial frequencies during mesopic testing (with and without glare) with 4.0 and 6.0 mm artificial pupil.