title: Retained nuclei after cataract surgery.
abstract: The authors reviewed the medical records of 36 patients in whom the nucleus or nuclear fragments were retained in the eye after cataract surgery. In 4 patients, there was no further surgery, and visual acuity deteriorated to counting fingers or worse (mean follow-up time, 14 months). Thirty-two patients underwent vitrectomy to remove the retained, unencapsulated nuclear material. Sixty percent (6 of 10) of patients in whom vitrectomy was performed after 3 weeks had chronic glaucoma on long-term follow-up, whereas this complication developed in only 18% (4 of 22) of patients in whom vitrectomy was performed in less than 3 weeks. Sixty-three percent (21 of 32) of vitrectomy patients had final visual acuity of 20/200 or better after removal of the retained nuclear fragments. The causes of the poorest visual outcome (less than 20/200) included 1 or more of the following: corneal decompensation, chronic inflammation, chronic glaucoma with optic atrophy, and retinal detachment.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, FL 33101.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Blodi
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Blodi
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Folk
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Daily
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007905:Lens Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007907:Lens Nucleus, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy