Management of the opacified posterior lens capsule: an excision technique for membranous changes

In 16 patients ranging from six months to 85 years a membranous-changed posterior lens capsule was partially excised during an originally extracapsular-planned lens surgery. After removing the lens contents the anterior chamber was filled with sodium hyaluronate. The opacified posterior capsule was punctiformly opened and the retrolenticular space widened with sodium hyaluronate, too. The isolated posterior capsule could be excised with microscissors without damaging the corneal endothelium or the anterior vitreous face. Integrity of the vitreous was preserved in 94% of the operated eyes. The described technique can be regarded as the method of choice for management of solid capsular opacities in infants and may be also helpful in some cases of membranous capsular changes in adults.