title: Sudden decrease in vision caused by liquefied after-cataract.
abstract: We report a case of sudden decrease to unilateral visual acuity in a 39-year-old patient who had extracapsular cataract surgery 5 years earlier. The decrease was caused by involvement of the visual axis because of a rare complication known as liquefied after-cataract. Treatment with a neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser was successfully performed. Although there was no rupture in the posterior capsule, the opacity disappeared and the visual acuity improved to 20/20. This new form of after-cataract can cause a sudden decrease in vision, and Nd:YAG laser treatment, even without a posterior capsule rupture, can be performed successfully.
authors.affiliation: State University of Campinas/São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. vcghanem@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vinícius Coral
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: Emir Amin
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ghanem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012086:Reoperation; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology*