POSTERIOR CONTINUOUS CURVILINEAR CAPSULORHEXIS AND POSTOPERATIVE INFLAMMATION

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) on inflammation after phacoemulsification and im plantation of a foldable silicone intraocular lens (IOL) in the capsul ar bag. Setting: St. Erik's Eye Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Methods: Fifty patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized study. Ey es with diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, uveitis, exfoliation syndrome, ot her previous ocular diseases, or an axial length greater than 26.0 mm were excluded. One group comprised 25 eyes of 25 patients (median age 76 years) in which phacoemulsification and implantation of a silicone IOL in the capsular bag were performed. The other group consisted of 2 5 eyes of 25 patients (median age 77 years) who received the same surg ical procedure in addition to PCCC. The aqueous protein concentration was measured using a laser flare meter (FC 500, Kowa Co.) preoperative ly and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 and 3 months after surgery. Results: Surgi cal trauma significantly increased aqueous flare values 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery in both groups (P < .05). Three months post operatively, flare values in both groups were not different from preop erative values. No difference between the 2 groups was found in flare intensity measurements or in best corrected visual acuity before and a fter uneventful surgery. The incidence of postoperative clinical cysto id macular edema was 8% (2 eyes) in the control group and 4% (1 eye) i n the group with PCCC. Conclusion: Postoperative flare intensity after phacoemulsification with PCCC and implantation of a foldable silicone IOL was not significantly different than postoperative flare measurem ents in a control group.