Fibrous membrane formation at the capsular margin in capsule contraction syndrome

Purpose: To determine whether the pathogenesis of capsule contraction syndr ome involves the outgrowth of the fibrous membrane from the anterior capsul e margin. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, T okyo, and the Ando Eye Clinic, Kanagawa, Japan. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records and siltlamp photographs was conducted in 12 eyes (10 patients) that had required treatment for a n arrowed anterior capsule opening after cataract surgery. All patients had h ad continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and phacoemulsification with implan tation of an intraocular lens in the capsular bag. Specimens of surgically removed fibrous membrane were examined by histopathological methods. Results: Fibrous membrane on the inner surface of the anterior capsule and the linear folds of the anterior capsule were present in each eye. In 10 ey es of 8 patients, the fibrous membrane was on the outer surface of the ante rior capsule and covered the capsular folds at its margin. Pathological stu dy showed that this fibrous membrane consisted of the flattened lens epithe lial cells that proliferated on the inner and outer Surfaces of the shrunke n anterior capsule. The outgrowth of this membrane from the margin of the a nterior capsule to the center of the opening of the anterior capsule was no ted. Conclusion: In this study, capsule contraction syndrome involved contractio n of the fibrous membrane as well as its outgrowth from the capsule margin. J Cataract Refract Surg 1999; 25:930-935 (C) 1999 ASCRS and ESCRS.