Prospective, randomized trial comparing MicroVisc Plus and Healon GV in routine phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To compare the safety and efficacy of two sodium hyaluronate viscoelastics--MicroVisc Plus and Healon GV--in routine phacoemulsification and evaluate whether these more viscous and cohesive agents offer benefits compared to viscoelastics of standard viscosity and cohesion. SETTING: York Finch Eye Associates and York Finch General Hospital, Toronto, Canada. METHODS: An unmasked, randomized, prospective clinical trial of 100 eyes of 100 patients having routine phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation was conducted comparing the safety and efficacy of MicroVisc Plus with those of Healon GV. Preoperative and 6 hour, 1 and 5 days, and 1 and 6 month postoperative assessments included acuity, corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and surgeon assessment of the task-facilitating efficacy of the viscoelastics. Results were compared with those of a similar trial of MicroVisc and Healon. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups at any follow-up. The surgeon judged the two viscoelastics to be equivalent, although somewhat different in facilitating surgery. There was significantly less transient postoperative corneal thickening in the Healon GV/MicroVisc Plus group than in the Healon/MicroVisc group. CONCLUSIONS: Healon GV and MicroVisc Plus were safe and provided equal outcomes based on the parameters assessed. MicroVisc Plus' higher zero-shear viscosity caused it to behave slightly differently than Healon GV during surgery. More viscous, cohesive viscoelastics may increase surgical safety.