Purpose:

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of ciliary body training as proposed by manufacturers of accommodating IOLs and patient motivation on the pseudoaccommodative ability with a standard intraocular lens (SA60AT).

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna.

Methods:

This randomized, controlled, examiner-masked study comprised 80 eyes of 40 patients that underwent standard cataract surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to a "motivated" or "non-motivated" (control) group. In the motivated group, subjects were told to take part in a special protocol to improve their near-reading ability after cataract surgery and were instructed not to use near adds for at least 3 months. Follow-up examinations included best-corrected distance visual acuity (VA), distance-corrected near VA, best-corrected near VA, defocus curve and reading speed, as well as pilocarpine-, cyclopentolate- and nearpoint-induced IOL shift assessed with partial coherence interferometry.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients suffering from age-related cataract who are enrolled for cataract surgery.
• Age 50 to 75 years
• < 1 D of corneal astigmatism, estimated postoperative VA of 20/30 or better and IOL power between 16 and 27 dpt

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with complications during cataract surgery or during the postoperative period, significant other ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, etc., or ophthalmic surgery other than cataract surgery