The Effects of Blue-Light Filtering Intraocular Implants on Glare Geometry

PurposeOne common complaint with natural opacified lenses is the deleterious effects of higher-order ocular aberrations and intraocular scatter, such as halos and starbursts, which are not always remedied with surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Blue-light filtering (BLF) IOL filter scatter-prone short-wave light. Here, we determine whether BLF IOL reduce halo and starburst size.MethodsThis study was a case-control design, between- and within-subjects (contralateral implantation). Sixty-nine participants with either the BLF IOL (n = 25; AlconSN60AT), clear IOL (n = 24; AlconSA60AT or WF), or both (n = 20) IOL participated. Participants were exposed to a point source of broadband simulated sunlight, which created the appearance of halos/starbursts. Dysphotopsia was measured as the diameter of broadband light-induced halos and starbursts.ResultsA case-control analysis. Halo size was significantly larger (t[35.05] = 2.98, p = 0.005) in participants with the clear control lens (M = 3 degrees 55 ' +/- 2 degrees 48 '), compared to the BLF IOL (M = 1 degrees 84 ' +/- 1 degrees 34 '). Starburst size was not significantly different between groups. Contralateral analysis. Halo size was significantly smaller (t = -3.89, p = .001) in test eyes with the BLF (M = 3 degrees 16 ' +/- 2 degrees 35 ') compared to the fellow control eyes (M = 5 degrees 42 ' +/- 3 degrees 17 '). Starburst size was also significantly smaller (t = -2.60, p < 0.018) in BLF test eyes (M = 9 degrees 57 ' +/- 4 degrees 25 ') than the fellow eye with the clear IOL (M = 12 degrees 33 ' +/- 5 degrees 25 ').ConclusionsBLF IOL filter short-wave light and mimic retinal screening by the young, natural crystalline lens. Such filtering can reduce some deleterious effects of bright light by decreasing ocular diffusion/halos and starbursts.