PHACOEMULSIFICATION IN EYES WITH PSEUDOEXFOLIATION

Purpose: To compare intraoperative and postoperative complications in eyes with and without pseudoexfoliation having cataract surgery by pha coemulsification. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, National Hospi tal, Oslo, Norway. Methods: Of 1152 consecutive phacoemulsification pr ocedures, 164 cases with pseudoexfoliation (Group 1) and 916 cases wit hout (Group 2) were followed for 4 months after cataract surgery in a prospective study. Of ail cataract operations performed during that ti me, 96.2% were phacoemulsification procedures: 90.4 and 97.4% in eyes with and without pseudoexfoliation, respectively (P < .0005). Results: The frequency of capsular/zonular tear or vitreous loss was 9.6 and 3 .7% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = .0002). A visual acuity of 0. 5 or better was achieved in 86.5% of eyes in Group 1 and 92.4% in Grou p 2 (P =.02). There were no statistically significant between-group di fferences in the frequency of a postoperative inflammatory response 1 day(6.7 Versus 4.4%), 1 week (2.4 versus 1.6%), or 4 months (1.8 versu s 0.9%) postoperatively. Conclusion: Phacoemulsification was safe in m ost eyes With pseudoexfoliation even though significantly more complic ations occurred intraoperatively in these eyes. The low frequency of a n inflammatory response indicates that the presence of pseudoexfoliati on does not significantly increase the risk of inflammation.