Extreme deepening of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification.

An unusual deepening of the anterior chamber during a phacoemulsification procedure was observed in 3 patients with cataracts: 1 with high myopia, 1 with a lens opacification following a vitrectomy procedure, and 1 with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. This deepening hindered emulsification of the nucleus in the posterior chamber. Early delivery of the nucleus from the capsular bag allowed phacoemulsification to proceed at the pupillary level. The "sinking" of the lens toward the vitreous cavity appears to be related to a lack of vitreous pressure due to liquefaction, or to loosening of the zonular support in the pseudoexfoliation syndrome.