Cystoid macular oedema after complicated cataract surgery and implantation of an anterior chamber lens.

During the period January 1988 to August 1990, 48 anterior chamber intraocular lenses were implanted during primary cataract surgery. In 6 eyes an anterior chamber intraocular lens was implanted after intracapsular cataract extraction, in 42 eyes after extracapsular cataract extraction complicated by posterior capsular or zonular rupture. Of the 40 cases which had been followed for at least 6 months (mean 23 months), 5 eyes (12.5%) developed clinically significant cystoid macular oedema. All these eyes had an extracapsular cataract extraction with a posterior capsular tear and anterior vitrectomy and in addition all had some other surgical or postoperative complications. Thus, in this series of complicated cataract surgery, cystoid macular oedema was an important cause of visual impairment but cystoid macular oedema was hardly due to the presence of an anterior chamber intraocular lens.