Phacoemulsification and lens implantation after scleral buckling surgery.

PURPOSE: To determine the intraoperative and postoperative complications and best-corrected visual acuity outcomes of eyes undergoing phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation after retinal detachment repair by the scleral buckling technique.

METHODS: The charts of all patients who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation between July 1991 and May 1998 in two surgical practices were reviewed to identify eyes with a history of retinal detachment repaired by the scleral buckling technique. Eyes with a history of pars plana vitrectomy were excluded. Demographic and surgical data, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded.

RESULTS: We identified 34 eyes of 32 patients. The mean interval from retinal detachment repair to phacoemulsification was 12.4 years. The mean interval from phacoemulsification to final examination was 20 months. Risk factors for retinal detachment included isolated myopia (82%), myopia with lattice retinal degeneration (5.9%), and myopia with trauma (8.8%). One eye (2.9%) had no identifiable risk factors. Final best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was attained in 29 (85%) of 34 eyes and 20/20 or better in 18 (53%) of the eyes. Of the five eyes with the lowest best-corrected visual acuity, three had a macula-off retinal detachment; one had a posterior capsule opacity, epiretinal membrane, and corneal edema secondary to ocular ischemia; and one had advanced glaucoma. All five eyes still experienced an improvement in best-corrected visual acuity. With regard to complications, one eye had a posterior capsular tear with vitreous loss and another developed a postoperative retinal tear. Posterior capsule opacification requiring laser capsulotomy developed in 13 eyes (38%). No eye developed a retinal redetachment.

CONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation can be performed safely after scleral buckling surgery and excellent best-corrected visual acuity results can be attained in most eyes. No modification of surgical technique is necessary. No retinal redetachment occurred in this series.