title: Lack of fluorophotometric evidence of aqueous-vitreous barrier disruption after posterior capsulorhexis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the integrity of the aqueous-vitreous barrier by assessing the flow of fluorescein from the anterior chamber to the anterior vitreous using fluorophotometry in eyes with a posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) and in eyes without a PCCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients had bilateral extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of an intraocular lens. In 1 eye, a PCCC was performed; the other eye served as a negative control. The eyes of 2 other patients who had complicated cataract surgery with posterior capsule and anterior hyaloid membrane rupture served as positive controls. All patients had fluorophotometry of both eyes 12 to 18 months after surgery to measure the flow of fluorescein from the anterior chamber to the anterior vitreous.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution pattern of fluorescein between eyes with PCCC and eyes without PCCC. In contrast, enhanced flow was detected in both eyes with rupture of the posterior capsule and the anterior hyaloid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this fluorophotometry study, a PCCC did not seem to disrupt the aqueous-vitreous barrier. Results indicate that an intact anterior vitreous membrane is crucial to maintain the barrier function between the anterior and the posterior segments of the eye.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium. vera.de.groot@uza.be
authors.forename: Veva
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Groot
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hubert
authors.forename: Jaap A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Van Best
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engelen
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Aelst
authors.forename: Marie José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tassignon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D019923:Capsulorhexis; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000378:metabolism; D015590:Fluorophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010539:Permeability; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019793:Fluorescein