Retained presumed intraocular cotton fiber after cataract operation: long-term follow-up with in vivo confocal microscopy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes in eyes with retained presumed intraocular cotton fibers after cataract surgery.

SETTING

Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, The People's Republic of China.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 19 eyes with retained presumed intraocular cotton fibers after cataract surgery was performed. Outcome measures were fiber-related complications. In vivo confocal microscopy was performed in eyes with entrapped cotton fibers at the wound site.

RESULTS

The duration of retained presumed cotton fibers ranged from 5 to 110 months (mean 42.3 months). No complications were noted in any of these eyes, including endophthalmitis, persistent uveitis, or corneal endothelial cell loss. In vivo confocal microscopy in eyes with entrapped fibers at the wound site showed normal corneal endothelium morphology with no keratocyte activation or inflammatory response.

CONCLUSIONS

Retained presumed fibers after cataract operations are more common than anticipated. In contrast to other organic foreign bodies, these retained fibers appear to be well tolerated. Conservative treatment can be adopted for these fibers as these pose minimal toxicity to the eye.