Secondary anterior capsulotomy in pseudophakic eyes.

This report describes a 1-handed technique and a 2-handed technique anterior capsulotomy in pseudophakic eyes. Each technique was used in a case of proliferative vitreoretinopathy accompanying anterior capsule contraction that occurred following cataract and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. A capsulorhexis forceps and a stab knife were inserted into the anterior chamber, and the capsule contraction alleviated without extracting the IOL in both cases. Secondary anterior capsulotomy contributed to both the surgeon's visibility during intraocular surgery, including the subsequent vitreous surgery, and the patient's postoperative visual acuity. The transparency of the pupil region was restored. While the 1-handed technique involves the risk of adversely affecting Zinn's zonule, the 2-handed technique does not place a burden on Zinn's zonule and is thought to considerably improve the surgeon's visibility in subsequent vitreoretinal surgery.