Safety and efficacy of poly(methyl methacrylate), hydrophobic acrylic and hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses: A comparative clinical investigation

Objectives: Cataract surgery is a prevalent procedure for restoring vision in patients with cataracts. Intraocular lens (IOL) material selection significantly impacts outcomes. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), hydrophilic, and hydrophobic IOLs in cataract surgery. The primary objective was to assess intraoperative safety and IOL performance. The secondary objective was to determine lens-related adverse events and visual acuity. Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical study included adult cataract patients undergoing IOL implantation at a single centre in India. Exclusion criteria included patients unwilling to participate, with previous intraocular or corneal surgery, traumatic cataract, pregnancy or lactation, concurrent participation in other drug or device investigations, unstable keratometry or biometry measurements, or irregular astigmatism. Patients with glaucoma and retinal disorders were also excluded. The study duration was one year with five follow-up visits. For the PMMA, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic IOLs 331, 340 and 330 eyes from 331, 340 and 330 patients were included respectively for the study. Intraoperative safety and performance were assessed through documented adverse events. Visual outcomes were evaluated at each visit using visual acuity measurements, slit-lamp examination, and intraocular pressure measurement. Results: No significant intraoperative complications or safety concerns were reported. There were no observed cases of IOL decentration, tilt, dislocation, discoloration, or opacity. Both distance uncorrected and distance best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) showed significant improvement from baseline to the final visit in all groups. Conclusion: PMMA, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic IOLs demonstrated good safety and efficacy in cataract surgery, with significant improvement in visual acuity and no lens-related adverse events reported in this study.