The Effect of Vitrectomy and its Combined Procedures on the Progression of Cataract in Phakic Eyes

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the effect of vitrectomy and combined procedures on the progression of cataract in previously vitrectomized eyes. METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 47 patients (48 eyes) who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy followed by cataract surgery and had been followed up for 3 months or longer. The mean follow-up period was 10.5 months. The degree of lens opacity was compared before vitrectomy when the progression of cataract was diagnosed and before cataract surgery using LOCS III. The interval between vitrectomy and cataract surgery was analyzed by age, causative disease, operation procedure, and combined procedure, retrospectively. RESULTS: The degrees of lens opacity at preoperative examination of vitrectomy were 0.31 (Nuclear color/ opalescence) and 0.10 (posterior subcapsular opacity). The mean interval between vitrectomy and the time of diagnosis of development or progression of cataract was 2.1 months, and the degrees of lens opacity at that time were 1.29 and 0.69. The degrees of lens opacity at preoperative examination of cataract surgery were 3.44 and 2.00. The mean interval between vitrectomy and cataract surgery was 11.3 months with a range of 1 to 33 months. The mean intervals in the eyes with gas tamponade (C3F8 or SF6) and silicone oil tamponade were 10.3 and 7.7 months, respectively, but in cases with only vitrectomy was 15.8 months. There was significant difference in each group (P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative visual acuity and internal limiting membrane removal were good prognostic factors in idiopathic macular hole surgery. Functional success group showed constant improvement of visual acuity in postoperative 2 years.