[Cataract and implantation in the vitrectomized eyes]

Cataract is a frequent complication of vitreous surgery after some months or years. In these cases cataract extraction is somewhat difficult. We performed cataract surgery with implantation in 38 eyes from 37 patients between 1986 and 1991. Twenty patients underwent vitreous or vitreoretinal surgery with or without internal tamponade by gas, 17 underwent silicone oil tamponade and silicone oil removal, prior to cataract surgery. Timing of surgery, number of surgical procedures and complications previous to cataract surgery are detailed in the paper. Cataract extraction was extracapsular in 7 cases, intracapsular in 6 cases; phako was performed in 24 cases and phacophagy in one case. A posterior IOL was inserted in 31 cases, an anterior chamber IOL in 7 cases. Anatomical and visual results were satisfying. Visual acuity improved postoperatively in 29 cases (up to 20/20 in 4 cases), was unchanged in 6 cases, decreased in 3 cases. Among these, loss of vision occurred in 5 cases due to retinal detachment or redetachment. For anatomical reasons, lack of vitreous support and the frequent zonular weakness of these eyes, account for surgical difficulties. Thus, phakoemulsification appears the best way to manage cataract in vitrectomized eyes.