Objective:

To determine whether the hydrophilicity of intraocular lenses (IOLs) affects the severity of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in highly myopic patients after cataract surgery, hypothesizing that hydrophilic IOLs may lead to greater PCO severity.

Key Findings:

• Hydrophilic IOLs showed significantly higher PCO severity scores compared to hydrophobic IOLs (p < 0.05).
• Clinically significant PCO rates were not significantly different between groups (p > 0.05).
• Hydrophobic IOLs had a longer median clinically significant PCO-free survival time (p < 0.05).

Interpretation:

The study suggests that hydrophobic IOLs may be associated with lower severity of PCO in highly myopic eyes, indicating a potential preference for hydrophobic materials in clinical practice.

Limitations:

• Limited sample size for the hydrophobic group may affect the robustness of subgroup analyses, potentially skewing results.
• The study's observational nature may introduce bias, limiting causal inferences.

Conclusion:

Hydrophilic IOLs are linked to higher severity of PCO in highly myopic patients, underscoring the importance of careful IOL material selection in cataract surgery.