Surgical and visual outcomes for posterior polar cataract.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to report the surgical and visual outcomes of posterior polar cataract and to assess the risk factors for posterior capsule rupture. Medical records of 81 eyes of 59 patients were reviewed. The surgical procedure used, intraoperative complications and postoperative visual outcome were recorded. Of the 81 eyes, 61 eyes (75%) underwent phacoemulsification. Seventeen eyes had extra-capsular cataract extraction, and manual small incision cataract surgery was performed on three eyes. Posterior capsule rupture occurred in 25 (31%) eyes: it was more common in young patients (<40 years) and in the extra-capsular cataract extraction group. Two eyes had nucleus drop during phacoemulsification. The postoperative visual acuity was >or=20/30 in 76 eyes. Posterior capsule rupture occurred more frequently in extra-capsular cataract extraction compared with phacoemulsification and in patients below 40 years of age. Phacoemulsification, done carefully, leads to good visual outcome.