Posterior capsule rupture in lens surgery

Objective: The paper studies the breaks of the posterior capsule in lens surgery, specifically the incidence, causes, types, management and the methods of IOL implantation.

Methods: For this purpose, a retrospective clinical trial was performed, within: 01.06.1999-31.05.2002, on 346 eyes group operated for senile cataract (without other ocular diseases) Patients were split in two groups, based on surgical technique: group 1 with 208 eyes operated using phacoemulsification and group 2 with 138 eyes operated using extracapsular extraction technique.

Results: The incidence of the breaks of the posterior capsule was 8.17% for group 1 (17 eyes out of 208) and 5.07% for group 2 (7 eyes out of 138). In all cases an IOL was used, most of them being placed in the posterior chamber (in bag, in sulcus or sclera-sutured) and infrequently IOL for anterior chamber or with irian support.

Conclusions: Breaks of the posterior capsule is a complication of cataract surgery, but appropriate management (viscoelastic substances, anterior vitrectomy) leads to a good outcome, with no influence on the subsequent evolution.