CYSTOID MACULAR EDEMA AFTER COMPLICATED CATARACT-SURGERY AND IMPLANTATION OF AN ANTERIOR-CHAMBER LENS

During the period january 1988 to August 1990, 48 anterior chamber int raocular lenses were implanted during primary cataract surgery. In 6 e yes an anterior chamber intraocular lens was implanted after intracaps ular cataract extraction, in 42 eyes after extracapsular cataract extr action complicated by posterior capsular or zonular rupture. Of the 40 cases which had been followed for at least 6 months (mean 23 months), 5 eves (12.5%) developed clinically significant cystoid macular oedem a. All these eyes had an extracapsular cataract extraction with a post erior capsular tear and anterior vitrectomy and in addition all had so me other surgical or postoperative complications. Thus, in this series of complicated cataract surgery, cystoid macular oedema was an import ant cause of visual impairment but cystoid macular oedema was hardly d ue to the presence of an anterior chamber intraocular lens.