[Aphakic versus pseudophakic retinal detachments].

Aphakic retinal detachments and pseudophakic retinal detachments (i.e., detachments following extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implant surgery) from the last 3 1/2 years were studied retrospectively. In the aphakic group, myopia (mean preoperative refraction -2.60) and intraoperative loss of vitreous (10.3%) were found to be risk factors. In the pseudophakic group, male patients predominated (21/26 = 80.8%); furthermore, myopia (mean preoperative refraction -4.60, mean axial length = 24.98 mm) was also a risk factor. Additional risk factors included intraoperative rupture of the capsule (11.5%) as well as postoperative Neodymium-YAG laser capsulotomy (34.6%). There was no appreciable difference between the two groups with regard to the type of detachment. In more than 50% of the cases, retinal tears occurred in the superior temporal quadrant. In 19.4% of the cases with pseudophakic retinal detachment, no foramen could be found; on the other hand, only in 7.7% of the cases in the aphakic group was no retinal hole seen. Surgery was anatomically successful in 92.3% of the pseudophakia cases. In the group with pseudophakic retinal detachment retinal surgery was only successful in 84.6% of the cases.