Endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification and insertion of silicone lens implants.

Central corneal endothelial cell loss was compared following primary insertion of folded posterior chamber silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) in 29 eyes and Sinskey-style polymethylmethacrylate posterior chamber IOLs in 20 eyes. Cataracts were removed by phacoemulsification and sodium hyaluronate was used in all cases. The mean follow-up time was greater than seven months. The average cell loss was 9.6% and 10.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in cell loss or visual results in the two groups. The amount of cell loss compares favorably with other series in which cell loss was determined following cataract surgery with and without IOL implantation.