Incidence of and risk factors for residual posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of and determine the risk factors for residual posterior capsule opacification (PCO).


METHODS
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.


METHODS
This study evaluated 194 uneventful cataract surgeries. Immature cataracts were graded for nuclear sclerosis (NS), posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC), and anterior cortical spokes on a 1 to 4 scale. Preoperative Snellen best corrected visual acuity was converted to the logMAR scale. The posterior capsule was examined after polishing and was classified as clear or as having residual opacity. Those with residual capsule opacity were evaluated 6 weeks postoperatively for the presence of visually significant PCO.


RESULTS
The incidence of residual capsule opacity was 23% (44 eyes). Seven (54%) of 13 eyes with white mature cataract had residual capsule opacity. In contrast, 37 (20%) of 181 eyes with immature cataract had residual capsule opacity (P = .01). In eyes with immature cataract, the mean preoperative logMAR acuity was +1.14 +/- 0.60 (SD) in the residual capsule opacity group and +0.73 +/- 0.46 in the clear group (P<.001). In eyes with immature cataract, the adjusted odds ratio for each increasing grade of NS was 2.3 and of PSC, 1.8 (P = .002 and P<.001, respectively). Eleven percent (5 eyes) of residual capsule opacities resulted in visually significant PCO 6 weeks postoperatively. All 5 opacities were centrally located at surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that aggressive polishing of peripheral or adherent residual capsule opacities is not advisable as only 5 eyes with central residual capsule opacities developed visually significant PCO.
Mootha
V Vinod
VV
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA. vmootha@salud.unm.edu
Tesser
Rachel
R
Qualls
Clifford
C
D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity