Consequences and visual outcomes of phacoemulsification cataract surgery complicated by anterior capsule tear

Session Details

Session Title: Cataract Surgery Complications

Session Date/Time: Monday 15/09/2014 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 09:38

Venue: Boulevard A

First Author: : G.Carifi UK

Co Author(s): :    C. Pitsas   V. Zygoura   R. Deshmukh   M. Miller     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To observe the results of phacoemulsification cataract surgery complicated by Anterior Capsule Tear (ACT).

Setting:

Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

Methods:

Retrospective review of 250 consecutive phacoemulsification cataract surgery procedures complicated by ACT performed at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Biometric, intraoperative and postoperative details were recorded. Exclusion criteria were: combined surgical procedures, planned manual extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), and previous intraocular surgery or eye trauma. A control group of 213 consecutive uncomplicated cases operated on by a single surgeon was used for comparison. The two-tailed Fisher’s exact test was adopted.

Results:

We included 239 eyes meeting the selecting criteria set for the study. A statistically higher incidence of advanced lens opacities requiring ultrasound biometry was observed (P<0.0001). Only in 5 cases (2%) the operating surgeon converted to ECCE, a concurrent posterior capsule rupture occurred in 60 eyes (25%) with a rate of nuclear lens material drop in the posterior segment of 4% (10 cases). Over 10% of eyes (26) underwent additional surgical procedures. Higher complication rates were observed in primary ACTs and in patients older than 65. Overall, 9 eyes lost at least 2 lines of corrected distance visual acuity.

Conclusions:

Anterior Capsule Tear can lead to other potentially serious consequences, with a relatively high incidence of secondary interventions and possible irreversible postoperative sight loss.

Financial Interest:

NONE