Three groups of patients were reviewed 1, 2 and 3 years after extracap
sular cataract extraction to assess the incidence of problems related
to nylon corneal sutures and the need for suture removal. A large perc
entage of patients were found to have suture-related problems and requ
ired or had previously undergone suture removal. These findings are an
alysed. The potential risk of sight-threatening pathology associated w
ith corneal sutures that are left in situ suggests that routine suture
removal about 3 months after surgery is to be recommended.