Posterior chamber lens implantation concurrent with vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Combined operation of cataract removal with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and pars plana vitrectomy were performed on 25 eyes in 22 patients with cataract concurrent with diabetic retinopathy. In 21 eyes, extracapsular cataract extraction followed by intraocular lens insertion, aiming at in-the-bag fixation, was performed, and in 4 eyes pars plana lensectomy with anterior capsule left and intraocular lens insertion between the iris and anterior capsule was carried out. Mean postoperative follow-up period was 14 months, ranging from 3 to 32 months. Visual acuity on the last examination was 0.5 or better in 2 eyes (8%), 0.1 or better in 12 eyes (48%), and worse than 0.05 in 9 eyes (36%). Major postoperative complications were fibrin reaction (20 eyes, 80%), pupillary deformation (19 eyes, 76%), pupil capture by intraocular lens (3 eyes, 12%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (1 eye, 4%), neovascular glaucoma (2 eyes, 8%), and recurrent vitreous hemorrhage (13 eyes, 52%). Intraocular pressure was well controlled in neovascular glaucoma cases. At the last examination ocular fundus was invisible due to vitreous hemorrhage in two eyes.