Posterior capsular plaque: a common feature of cataract surgery in the developing world.
OBJECTIVE
To study the histopathologic findings of posterior capsular plaque, a lesion that is discovered frequently in eyes undergoing cataract surgery in the developing world.


METHODS
Two hundred human crystalline lenses removed from 200 eyes of 200 patients who underwent intracapsular cataract extraction at Sagarmatha Choudhary Eye Hospital in Nepal were analyzed histopathologically.


RESULTS
Forty-nine lenses (24.5%) had a posterior capsular plaque. We confirm that the posterior plaques are composed of collagen that stains positively for Masson trichrome stain and that forms after pseudofibrous metaplasia of lens cells along the posterior capsule. The plaques form in a fashion analogous to a healing process.


CONCLUSIONS
We postulate that posterior capsular plaques result from posterior migration of epithelium and pseudofibrous metaplasia of lens epithelium. Most of the posterior capsular plaques are minute and not likely to affect vision. However, a small percentage of plaques are thicker and are likely to impair vision after extracapsular cataract surgery.
Peng
Q
Q
Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425-2236, USA.
Hennig
A
A
Vasavada
A R
AR
Apple
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002465:Cell Movement; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003906:Developing Countries; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal
D003094:Collagen