Effect of the Blue Filter Intraocular Lens on the Progression of Geographic Atrophy

Abstract

Purpose To clinically evaluate the effect of blue light–filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) on disease progression in patients with geographic atrophy (GA). Methods Clinical data from 66 eyes of 40 patients were investigated, 27 with a blue filter and 39 with a non–blue filter IOL. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography technology and the advanced retinal pigment epithelium analysis software tool were used to measure lesion size and monitor its progression over 1 year. Results The mean and median baseline area of GA for the total sample was 5.55 ± 4.72 mm2 and 4.40 mm2, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference of the mean (p = 0.0002) and median (p<0.0001) GA progression in 1 year between the blue filter and non–blue filter IOL group (0.72 ± 0.39 SD mm2 mean and 0.70 mm2 median compared to 1.48 ± 0.88 SD mm2 and 1.30 mm2, respectively). Conclusions The clinical data strongly support a photoprotective role of blue light–filtering IOLs on the progression of the atrophic form of dry age-related macular degeneration after cataract surgery.