Endothelial damage associated with intraocular lenses.

We examined the corneal endothelium of five patients with the clinical specular microscope before and at intervals after combined cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation. There was a severe loss of endothelial cells postoperatively in all five patients despite clear, thin corneas. We observed no significant endothelial regeneration (increased number of cells) or continued cell loss during 15 weeks of postoperative observation. The clinical specular microscope was useful in assessing the endothelial effects of ocular surgical procedures.