Visual outcome and complications after posterior capsule rupture during phacoemulsification surgery

Purpose: To determine the visual outcome and incidence of complications aft er posterior capsule rupture during phacoemulsification surgery. Methods: F orty-four eyes of 43 patients which sustained posterior capsule rupture or zonulysis during phacoemulsification surgery between April 1993 and May 199 6 were retrospectively studied. Eyes With pseudoexfoliation syndrome, traum atic cataract and myopia > 6 dioptres were excluded from the study. The mea n postoperative follow-up period was 26 months (range 3 to 47 months). Resu lts: Forty-one eyes had posterior capsule rupture and 3 eyes had zonulysis. Of these 44 eyes, 41 eyes had vitreous loss and anterior vitrectomy at the time of surgery or subsequently. Excluding 2 eyes with pre-existing condit ions that precluded good vision, 36 out of 42 eyes (85.7%) achieved spectac le corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or better post-operatively. Of all 42 ey es, 20 had anterior chamber intraocular lens (ACIOL) implantation while the others had posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) implantation. For ey es with ACIOL, 17 out of 20 eyes (85.0%) had best corrected visual acuity o f 6/12 or better. For eyes with PCIOL, 19 out of 22 eyes (86.4%) had best c orrected visual1 acuity of 6/12 or better. Conclusions: Phacoemulsification surgery, even if complicated by posterior capsule rupture or zonulysis, is compatible with good visual outcome. This is provided prompt attention is paid to the management of complications.