Planned extracapsular extraction versus phacoemulsification with IOL implantation: a comparison of concurrent series

We compared a concurrent series of patients undergoing Shearing posterior chamber lens implantation combined with planned extracapsular extraction (PEC) or with phacoemulsification (KPE). The visual results were significantly better with KPE than with PEC, even after adjustment for differences in patient age, sex, and followup. The KPE procedure averaged 0.27D less cylinder per case than the PEC procedure. The KPE procedure, however, was significantly more traumatic to the corneal endothelium, as estimated clinically at the time of surgery and corroborated by prospective specular microscopy. The surgeon observed no significant differences between postoperative corneal reaction or Descemet's folding in the two groups, although he clinically estimated the anterior chamber reaction to be greater in the PEC patients.