A fluorescein angiographic study of cystoid macular edema

We performed a prospective fluorescein angiographic study on 66 patients who had undergone extracapsular cataract extractions with implantation of a Shearing posterior chamber intraocular lens. A primary posterior capsulotomy was performed in every case. The eyes were studied 11 to 23 months postoperatively. The incidence of cystoid macular edema (3%) was lower than that found in three series of cataract extractions previously reported. Extracapsular cataract extraction with either (1) a Shearing posterior chamber intraocular lens and a primary posterior capsulotomy or (2) a Binkhorst intraocular lens and an intact posterior capsule produces a lower rate of cystoid macular edema than does intracapsular cataract extraction either with a Binkhorst intraocular lens or without an intraocular lens. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cystoid macular edema in the two extracapsular series, indicating that preservation of an intact posterior capsule was not a significant factor.