HISTOLOGY OF ANTERIOR CAPSULE FIBROSIS FOLLOWING PHACOEMULSIFICATION

Purpose: To determine the histology and immunohistochemistry of anteri or capsule fibrosis. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology and Neurosur gery and institute of Pathology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Me thods: Tissue sections from 3 patients with anterior capsule fibrosis after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were exami ned histologically. Results: The proliferating tissue was devoid of ve ssels and composed of dense fibrous tissue and numerous activated fibr oblasts with contractile capacity (myofibroblasts). No TGF-beta, which is the most important cytokine in modulating myofibroblasts, was pres ent in the fibrotic tissue. Conclusion: The absence of the cytokine TG F-beta and inflammatory cells in the proliferating tissue confirms the unique character of the reparative activity within the eyes.