Increased aqueous flare intensity in eyes with liquefied after-cataract.

PURPOSE: To describe aqueous flare intensity in eyes with white liquefied after-cataract.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan.

METHODS

Seven patients with unilateral liquefied after-cataract and another 10 unaffected patients with an intraocular lens (IOL) were examined. The eyes were divided into 3 groups. The first group was composed of 7 eyes with liquefied after-cataract. The second group included the fellow eyes of the patients with unilateral liquefied after-cataract; 4 had an IOL, and 3 had cataract. The third group included 10 additional eyes without liquefied after-cataract. All patients underwent cataract operations consisting of phacoemulsification/aspiration with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and acrylic IOL implantation in the capsular bag. Aqueous flare was measured using a laser flare-cell meter.

RESULTS

The mean +/- SD of aqueous flare intensity was significantly higher in the first group (11.8 +/- 1.8 photon counts/msec) than in the second group (6.4 +/- 0.8 photon counts/msec) and in the third group (6.3 +/- 0.7 photon counts/msec).

CONCLUSION

It is possible that liquefaction of after-cataract and disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier may be related.