Changes of the corneal endothelium following intracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of semiflexible anterior chamber lenses. I. Results of the early post-operative period.

A consecutive group of 103 patients with senile cataract underwent intracapsular cataract extraction and implantation of a semiflexible anterior chamber lens. After 6 month of follow-up, there was an average decrease of 20% +/- 15% in central corneal endothelial cell density and an average vertical disparity of 32% +/- 20% between central and superior endothelial areas. The endothelial cell loss was not correlated with pre-operative cell density. There was a positive correlation between age and cell loss and between age and vertical disparity. Findings in eyes with cornea guttata did not differ significantly from those without guttata. Anterior vitrectomy did not increase endothelial cell loss significantly. Maintenance of a deep anterior chamber by pre-operative oculopression or by instillation of Na-hyaluranate had no significantly different effect on the corneal endothelial cell loss.