NEODYMIUM: YAG;

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of posterior capsule opacificationafter phacoemulsification, between acrylic and polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses, by comparing their YAG lasercapsulotomy rates. Design: It was a randomized clinical trial. Place and duration of study: Department ofOphthalmology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi, between March 2002-04. Patients and Methods: One hundred and fivepatients were randomized to receive either a foldable acrylic lens (fifty-two cases), or rigid polymethylmethacrylate lens(fifty-three cases) following phacoemulsification for cataracts. Postoperatively their visual acuities were recorded alongwith the presence of posterior capsular opacification. Laser capsulotomy was performed if the eyes had lost 2 or morelines of visual acuity. Results: The visual acuity loss at six months in the PMMA group was greater than that in theacrylic group (p< 0.001,Chi-square test).65% cases exhibiting PCO in the Polymethylmethacrylate group developedit within the first six months, whereas in the acrylic group the development of posterior capsular opacification was seeneighteen months after surgery in 60% cases. Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy was performed in 28% of cases in the PMMAgroup compared to 6% in the AcrySof group (p < 0.005). Conclusion: Acrylic intraocular lenses is associated with lessincidence of posterior capsular opacification and with a significantly reduced rate of YAG laser capsulotomy comparedwith Polymethylmethacrylate lenses.