Clinical results of endocapsular phacoemulsification and complete in-the-bag intraocular lens fixation.

Endocapsular phacoemulsification was performed in the Hara Eye Hospital on 77 eyes of 69 patients between October 1984 and January 1986. The age of patients ranged from 52 to 86 years with an average of 71 years. In 71 of 77 eyes, a posterior chamber lens was inserted. The procedure was attempted in 243 eyes and was successfully performed in 77 of them (32%). The causes of failure in 166 eyes were anterior capsule rupture in 149 eyes (90%) and posterior capsule rupture in 27 eyes (16%). With the exception of one eye lost to follow-up, the results of these cases were satisfactory. A postoperative visual acuity of better than 20/20 was achieved in 45 eyes (58%), better than 20/40, in 70 eyes (91%). The main postoperative complications in 50 completely recorded eyes were anterior capsule opacity in 44 eyes (88%), severe iris atrophy because of intraoperative ultrasound in seven eyes (9%), and posterior capsule opacity causing visual disturbance in three eyes (4%).