Intraoperative recognition of retinal vasculitis in a patient with early lens-induced uveitis

The purpose of this article is to describe a clinical finding not previously reported in lens-induced uveitis. An 86-year-old woman was seen by the authors 2 weeks after she had undergone phacoemulsification surgery complicated by retained lens material. A pars plana vitrectomy was indicated. Intraoperatively, retinal arteritis and phlebitis were documented in the retina immediately adjacent to the lens material. This resolved after removal of the material by vitrectomy. This previously unreported finding demonstrates the focal inflammatory effect of the retained lens material on the retinal vasculature.