INTRALENTICULAR FOREIGN-BODIES - CASE-REPORTS AND SURGICAL REVIEW

Management of intralenticular foreign bodies (ILFBs) is controversial. Correlation between visual outcome, foreign body characteristics, the need for surgical intervertion, and the choice of surgical technique are not well established. We report five cases of traumatic ILFBs all managed surgically. Three ILFBs were metal, one was presumably also me tal, and one was wood. We chose to proceed with foreign body removal a nd simultaneous cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation as a single-staged procedure in four cases. In one case of planned ex tracapsular cataract extraction, a foreign body was identified only af ter the expressed nucleus was sent for pathological examination. Visua l outcomes were 20/30 or greater in all cases at 5 to 18 month follow up.