Early vitrectomy for retained lens fragments in eyes with pre-existing co-morbidities

Purpose: To evaluate whether performing early pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) affects visual outcomes of patients with retained lens fragments after a complicated cataract surgery (CS). Material and Methods: 38 eyes of 38 consecutive patients that underwent PPV for retained lens fragments at Gazi University, Ophthalmology Department from May 2007 to February 2011 were reviewed. Associated ocular co-morbidities, time interval between CS and PPV, and their effect on visual prognosis were evaluated. Results: The mean follow-up period after PPV was 6.3 months. 21 patients (55%) had PPV within 1 week of CS (group A), and 17 patients (45%) had PPV after more than 1 week of CS (group B). In group A, 14 (66.6%) patients had preexisting ocular co-morbidities whereas in group B only 3 patients (18%) had preexisting ocular co-morbidities. PPV caused significant improvement in final VA's in both groups. The mean pre-PPV logMAR best corrected visual acuity (VA) improved from 1.51 to 0.9 in group A (p <0.005) and 2.35 to 1.4 in group B (p<0.005). Conclusion: Early PPV for retained lens fragments after cataract surgery can be useful for saving vision even in eyes with lower visual expectations.