Short-term changes in the morphology of posterior capsule opacification.
OBJECTIVE
To observe and document posterior capsule opacification (PCO) growth in vivo over a short period of time (4 weeks).


METHODS
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.


METHODS
Fifteen eyes of pseudophakic patients with PCO of varying degrees were included in this prospective study. Digital retroillumination images were taken in a standardized fashion at 3 time points: 1 baseline image, a second image after 2 weeks, and a third image after 4 weeks. Thus, a 3-image series could be created for each eye. Additionally, sections of the posterior capsule with interesting structures were photographed with higher magnification and compared in supplementary image series. Morphologic changes in the PCO structure (eg, number and size of Elschnig pearls, total PCO area) were analyzed in the image series.


RESULTS
In all cases, significant changes could be observed between the 3 time points. In 71% of cases, some Elschnig pearls increased in size during the first 2 weeks and during weeks 3 and 4. In 73% of cases, however, there was a reduction a pearl size or even disappearance of some Elschnig pearls. The total PCO area did not change significantly during the 4-week period.


CONCLUSIONS
Development of (regeneratory) PCO is a very dynamic process that includes not only growth of preexisting structures and occurrence of new Elschnig pearls, but also reorganization and even disappearance of pearls within a short time period (2-4 weeks). The latter in particular is not well known but could be observed in the majority of cases in this study.
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Wolf
W
Buehl
Oliver
O
Findl
Thomas
T
Neumayer
Michael
M
Georgopoulos
Stefan
S
Sacu
D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors