Abstract

P 132

Incidence of posterior vitreous detachment after uneventful cataract surgery

Katrin Lorenz1, Fabian Höhn2, Lars-Olof Hattenbach2, Alireza Mirshahi2
1Universitäts-Augenklinik Mainz, 2Augenklinik, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen

Objective
To report the incidence of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) after uneventful state-of-the-art small-incision phacoemulsification with implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL).
Methods
In this prospective study, we evaluated the vitreous status of 188 eyes of 188 patients (131 females, 57 males, mean age 77.2 years, range: 39 - 99) by biomicroscopic examination, indirect binocular ophthalmoscopy and B-scan ultrasonography prior to a planned cataract surgery. Patients with the posterior vitreous being attached were included for follow-up and examined at one week, one month and one year after uneventful phacoemulsification with posterior chamber IOL implantation (58 patients, 26 females, 32 males; mean age 67.3 years). The preoperative prevalence and the incidence of PVD during the study period were determined by ultrasonography.
Results
The mean spherical equivalent was -0.78 D (range -8.75 to +6.25 D), and the mean antero-posterior ocular globe length was 23.22 mm (range 20.50 to 26.04 mm). The preoperative prevalence of PVD was 130 of 188 eyes (69.2%), while 58 eyes (30.6%) had no PVD preoperatively. Twelve eyes (20.7%) developed PVD one week postoperatively, 18 eyes (31%) did so after one month and 4 eyes (6.9%) did so after one year. The vitreous body remained attached to the retina in 24 eyes (41.4%) one year after the surgery. None of preoperatively measured parameters (e.g., age, refraction, antero-posterior globe length) could predict the occurrence of PVD after cataract surgery.
Conclusions
Occurrence of posterior vitreous detachment is a frequent event after modern cataract surgery, when the posterior hyaloid is attached to the retinal surface preoperatively. Our results may explain early postoperative vitreoretinal complications following cataract surgery.

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