Contemporary Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of 23-Gauge Vitrectomy for Retained Lens Fragments After...

To provide data on visual acuity (VA) outcomes and prognostic factors of microincision (23-gauge) vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) for retained lens fragments after complicated cataract surgery.

Retrospective, interventional case series from 2012 to 2017.

Precataract surgery and intraoperative (vitrectomy) parameters, postvitrectomy complications, and best-corrected visual acuities (BCVAs) were identified. Vitrectomy was performed as early as corneal clarity permitted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to characterize factors associated with achieving VA better than 20/40, or worse than 20/200 at 6 months.

This study included 291 consecutive eyes (291 patients). LogMAR BCVA improved from 0.73 ± 0.70 before cataract surgery to 0.46 ± 0.63 (P < .001) after vitrectomy. The previtrectomy VA was 1.43 ± 0.79. At 6 months, 183 (62.9%) and 45 patients (15.5%) achieved BCVAs better than 20/40 and worse than 20/200, respectively. Most frequent complications were de novo ocular hypertension (29 eyes, 10%) and transient cystoid macular edema (25 eyes, 8.6%). Postvitrectomy retinal detachment occurred in 9 eyes (3.1%). Final VA of 20/40 or better was independently associated only with better precataract surgery VA, age <75 years, absence of preexisting diabetic macular edema (DME) or postvitrectomy persistent cystoid macular edema (P < .05). Only poorer precataract surgery VA, delaying vitrectomy to later than 2 weeks, and final aphakic status were independently predictive of 20/200 or worse VA (P < .05).

Contemporary VA outcomes of 23-gauge vitrectomy for retained lens fragments are comparable with that of prior predominantly non-MIVS cohorts, but fall short of benchmarks for uncomplicated cataract surgery. IOL type or timing of placement do not impact final VA.