Frequency and distribution of various posterior capsular opacities post cataract extraction / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

ABSTRACT

AIM: To evaluate the frequency and distribution of various types of post cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation posterior capsular opacity (PCO) in hospitals.METHODS: This cross sectional, observational and descriptive study included 200 patients, 123 male and 77 female aged between 43 and 77(mean age 62.4) years, referring for cataract procedure from 2003 till 2007. The mean follow-up period of patients was 23 (range from 16 to 60) months. Data were gathered during follow-up time via a questionnaire and entered in a computer using SPSS software. Analysis was performed using ANOVA and Chi-Square tests. RESULTS: The various types of PCO included, fibrotic (63%), residual epithelial proliferative cells (15%) and mixed type (22%). The mean time period for development of postoperative decreased visual acuity due to PCO was 19.3(range from 3 to 48) months, younger patients had a significantly better vision post cataract surgery (P=0.0001), but the incidence of PCO was also more in them. In the older age group, fibrotic PCO was significantly more, while mixed type of opacities were the least prevalent (P=0.016). CONCLUSION: The present study did not determine any specific risk factors for development of PCO, and the most common type was fibrosis, all of the cases experienced both qualitative and quantitative decrease in vision and some of them required treatment with YAG Laser capsulotomy which is relatively expensive and has its own complications.