PHACOEMULSIFICATION, PRIMARY POSTERIOR CAPSULORHEXIS, AND CAPSULAR INTRAOCULAR-LENS IMPLANTATION FOR UVEITIC CATARACT

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of phacoemulsification, p rimary posterior capsulorhexis (PCCC), and primary intraocular lens (I OL) implantation for uveitic cataracts. Setting: Institutional practic e. Methods: Fifteen consecutive eyes of 13 patients with various cause s of uveitis received anterior capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification, PCC C, and in-the-bag implantation of a heparin-surface-modified IOL for v isually disabling cataract. The safety and efficacy of the combined op eration were studied prospectively.Results: At a mean follow-up of 16. 9 months (range 8 to 30 months), all eyes had a clear central visual a rea. Fourteen of 15 eyes (93.3%) had good visual improvement after sur gery. Eight eyes (53%) achieved a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/30 or better and 6 (40%), 20/20 or better. Seventy-three percent of eyes attained a BCVA of 20/80 or better. The mean improvement in v isual acuity was 5.2 Snellen lines (range 0 to 11 lines). No cases of uveitis flare-up or other major complications related to the cataract surgery occurred. Conclusions: The study's preliminary results are enc ouraging and indicate that phacoemulsification, PCCC, and IOL implanta tion can be considered in patients with visually disabling uveitic cat aract.