Trypan blue capsular staining to "find" the leading edge of a "lost" capsulorhexis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe an effective surgical technique to visualize an obscured leading edge of a capsulorhexis.


METHODS
Prospective, interventional case series.


METHODS
In six eyes of six patients in which the capsulorhexis was started but could no longer be seen during surgery, the anterior chamber was irrigated to remove all viscoelastic, and 0.3-ml trypan blue 0.06% was applied onto the anterior lens capsule to stain and visualize the leading edge of the capsulorhexis.


RESULTS
In all patients, the leading edge of the capsulorhexis was quickly visualized by using the dye. No adverse reactions were observed up to 1 year after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Trypan blue staining of the anterior lens capsule is an effective and apparently safe technique to "find" a "lost" capsulorhexis during surgery.
Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Peter W T
PW
de Waard
Camille J
CJ
Budo
Gerrit R J
GR
Melles
D019923:Capsulorhexis / Q000379:methods*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D014343:Trypan Blue
D004396:Coloring Agents; D014343:Trypan Blue