Transient, profound cataract associated with intracameral 5-fluorouracil.

Abstract

To report a transient cataract after bleb needling and subconjunctival injection of 5-fluorouracil. Observational case report. A 51-year-old man had an encapsulated bleb after filtering surgery. The bleb was needled, and 5 mg of 5-fluorouracil was injected adjacent to the bleb. Within 5 minutes, vision fell to finger counting at 1 foot owing to anterior lens capsule opacification. The next day, acuity and lens clarity had returned to their preneedling status. Best-corrected acuity 7 months later was 20/15. Entry of 5-fluorouracil into the anterior chamber after bleb needling can cause transient lens opacification. Recently, intracameral 5-fluorouracil was reported as a new treatment for epithelial ingrowth. Given the transient cataract observed in this case, the use of 5-fluorouracil for epithelial ingrowth should be considered with caution for phakic patients.