Effect of lensectomy on the movement of tracers from vitreous to aqueous.

To investigate the effect of extracapsular lensectomy with posterior capsulotomy, 20,000- and 70,000-dalton dextran was injected into the vitreous of rabbits. The concentration of the 20,000-dalton dextran in the aqueous of aphakic eyes was 14-fold greater than in phakic eyes 3.5 hours after injection of dextran into the vitreous. The aqueous concentration of the 70,000-dalton dextran was four times greater in aphakic eyes after 3.5 hours. The aqueous concentration of a 20,000-dalton dextran in phakic and aphakic eyes became equal between 15.5 and 22.0 hours after injection. Thus, extracapsular lensectomy with posterior capsulotomy increased the rate of movement of a single bolus of both 20,000- and 70,000-dalton dextran preparations from the vitreous to the anterior chamber.