Rate of endothelial cell loss in the early postoperative period after cataract surgery.

Central corneal endothelial cell density was estimated in 33 consecutive patients preoperatively and at monthly intervals for 6 months after cataract surgery. The patients were divided into 3 groups by a random procedure to have either intracapsular extraction or intracapsular extraction plus Federov 4-loop iris clip lens, or extracapsular extraction with Binkhorst 2-loop iridocapsular lens. In all groups the greatest cell loss had occurred by one month and thereafter no accelerated loss was apparent except in individual patients. The limitations of such a method of assessment are discussed.