Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of
cataract in young patients after pars plana vitrectomy. Design: The au
thors reviewed the medical records for previtrectomy and postvitrectom
y lens changes in patients younger than 30 years of age at the Kellogg
Eye Center, University of Michigan. Participants: Forty-nine patients
(50 eyes) younger than 30 years of age (mean age, 23.5 years; range,
5 months-30 years) underwent phakic vitrectomy over a 12-year period.
Main Outcome Measures: Cataracts were categorized as posterior subcaps
ular, nuclear sclerotic, or cortical. Cataracts also were graded as mi
ld (1+), moderate (2+), or severe (3+). Results: In this series of you
ng patients, vitrectomy was performed for a wide range of ocular condi
tions, including trauma and complicated retinal detachment. Postvitrec
tomy cataract developed in 29 patients (60%). Eighteen patients (36%)
had visually significant cataract on long-term follow-up (mean follow-
up, 29.7 months; range, 6 months-13 years). The most common cataract w
as posterior subcapsular (57%), followed by nuclear sclerosis (23%), a
combination of both (17%), and cortical cataract (3%). Patients with
gas-filled eyes had a significantly higher rate of cataract formation
than patients with fluid-filled eyes (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Postvitr
ectomy cataracts were more common in the authors' series compared with
those of previous reports on young patients. Cataracts were most ofte
n posterior subcapsular and were significantly associated with the use
of intraocular gas, The occurrence of postvitrectomy cataract appears
to be higher in patients undergoing vitrectomy for complex ocular con
ditions, regardless of age.