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Updated: Jul 31, 2026
A Novel Capsulorhexis Technique Using Shearing Forces with Cystotome
Published on: May 15, 2010
[Circular or radial capsulotomy for the treatment of capsular phimosis: Which is the better option?]
A Mounsif1, A Laalou1, H Ait Lhaj1
1Département d'ophtalmologie, hôpital militaire Avicenne, Marrakech, Maroc; Faculté de médecine, université Cadi Ayad, Marrakech, Maroc.
Introduction:
Capsular phimosis is a common postoperative complication of cataract surgery, resulting from fibrous metaplasia of residual epithelial cells. It leads to capsular contraction, which affects visual quality and the stability of the intraocular lens (IOL). Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, performed using either circular or radial techniques, remains the standard treatment.
Purpose:
To compare the outcomes of circular vs. radial capsulotomies in terms of visual gain, postoperative complications, and IOL stability.
Materials And Methods:
A prospective, randomized, single-center study was conducted on 108 eyes (54 per technique) followed for six months. The parameters evaluated included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and complications (capsular debris, IOL dislocation).
Results:
The circular technique provided a mean gain of 3.2 lines on the ETDRS scale, compared to 2.6 lines for the radial technique (P<0.05). Although associated with an increased rate of capsular debris (9.2%), no major complications occurred. In contrast, the radial technique was associated with a risk of partial IOL dislocation in 3 cases (5.6%).
Conclusion:
Circular capsulotomy appears to offer better functional outcomes and enhanced IOL stability compared to the radial technique. However, larger-scale studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.
