[Prospective longitudinal studies on lens changes after vitrectomy--quantitative assessment by fluorophotometry and refractometry].

We prospectively evaluated lens changes after vitrectomy on 55 patients with vitreoretinal interface syndrome such as idiopathic epiretinal membrane, vitreomacular traction syndrome, and impending stages of idiopathic senile macular hole. Postoperative changes in crystalline lenses were assessed by fluorophotometric measurement of lens autofluorescence, measurement of refractive errors and biomicroscopic evaluation of progression of nuclear sclerosis. Examinations were repeated prior to surgery and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. While autofluorescene and light transmittance of the lens were not affected by vitrectomy in patients less than 50 years old, older patients showed a significant increase of autofluorescence and decreased transmittance as early as 3 months after surgery. The refraction became myopic with time especially in the older patient group. Nuclear cataract was also found on biomicroscopic examination in the older patients as early as 1 month after surgery and progressed with time. The older the patients were, the more prominent those lens changes were.