MANAGEMENT OF DISLOCATED LENS FRAGMENTS FOLLOWING PHACOEMULSIFICATIONSURGERY

Twelve patients with retained nuclear lens fragments following phacoem ulsification surgery were referred for management. Ocular findings inc luded corneal edema in 4 (33%), elevated intraocular pressure in 6 (50 %), vitreous inflammation in 10 (83%) and retinal detachment in 1 (8%) . At initial examination 10 of the patients had a visual acuity of 20/ 200 or less. Two patients were managed conservatively with medical tre atment and regained 20/20 and 20/25 vision. Ten patients required pars plana vitrectomy; in six a posterior chamber lens was sutured into th e ciliary sulcus after vitrectomy was completed. Postoperatively, 5 of the 10 surgically treated patients regained 20/40 or better vision. P reexisting age-related macular degeneration and chronic cystoid macula r edema were the causes of a poor visual result.