The purpose of the present study is to compare Nd:YAG capsulotomy rates between spherical and aspheric intraocular lenses.

The present retrospective study enrolled patients who received cataract surgery by a single surgeon between March 1, 2006 and October 31, 2009. Patients included in the study were implanted with SA60AT spherical intraocular lenses (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX, USA, 66 eyes), SN60AT spherical intraocular lenses (Alcon, 48 eyes; a total of 114 eyes), or SN60WF aspheric intraocular lenses (Alcon, 187 eyes). The Nd:YAG capsulotomy rates were compared between the two groups 6 months after the operation. Ten patients who were implanted with a spherical intraocular lens in one eye and an aspheric intraocular lens in the contralateral eye were analyzed separately.

Nd:YAG capsulotomy was performed in 2 of 114 eyes (1.8%) in the spherical intraocular lens group and 7 of 187 eyes (3.2%) in the aspheric intraocular lens group; no significant difference was found ( p = 0.359). Among the 10 patients who were implanted with 2 different intraocular lenses, Nd:YAG capsulotomy was performed in only 1 eye in the aspheric intraocular lens group; no significant difference was found ( p = 0.500).

The design of the intraocular lens, especially the shape of the posterior optic, does not influence the rate of Nd:YAG capsulotomy.