[Severe bilateral capsulorhexis contraction after cataract surgery in myotonic dystrophy: a case report]

The Authors report the case of a 50-Year-old man with myotonic dystrophy, who developed severe bilateral capsulorhexis contracture after uneventful cataract surgery.

Phacoemulsification was performed in both eyes with implantation of intraocular lenses. The patient came to complain of decreased vision in both eyes (4/10 Parinaud 4). Visual acuity initially improved after surgery to 8/10 P2 in each eye. After 7 months for the right eye and 3 Months for the left eye, the patient presented with dramatically reduced vision, caused by a severe capsulorhexis contracture. Anterior capsulotomies with the Nd:YAG laser were performed in both eyes to treat this complication. It was sufficient on the left eye but the right eye required a surgical anterior capsulectomy to remove the IOL and the bag and put in an Artisan lens.

Capsulorhexis contracture results from fibrous metaplasia of lens epithelial cells from the anterior capsule. Myotonic dystrophy appears to predispose to the development of severe capsulorhexis contracture after phacoemulsification.