Capsular tension ring implantation after capsulorhexis in phacoemulsification of cataracts associated with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Intraoperative complications and early postoperative findings.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of an endocapsular tension ring in preventing zonular complications during phacoemulsification of cataracts associated with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. SETTING Eye Clinic of Beyoğlu Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. METHODS A prospective randomized study comprised 78 eyes with cataract and pseudoexfoliation syndrome that were randomly divided into 2 groups. The age, sex, cataract density, iridodonesis, axial length, anterior chamber depth, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and intraocular pressure (IOP) were matched between groups. In 39 eyes, a capsular tension ring (CTR) was implanted after capsulorhexis and hydrodissection but before nucleus emulsification. Thirty-nine eyes that did not have a CTR implanted served as a control. The main outcome measures were the rates of intraoperative zonular separation and capsular fixation of a foldable intraocular lens (IOL). Posterior capsule rupture without zonular dialysis, vitreous loss, corneal edema, fibrin in the anterior chamber, BCVA, and IOP in the immediate postoperative period were also compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS Five eyes (12.8%) in the control group and no eye in the CTR group had intraoperative zonular separation (P =.02). Posterior capsule rupture without zonular separation occurred in 3 eyes (7.7%) in the control group and 2 (5.2%) in the CTR group. Capsular IOL fixation was achieved in 37 eyes (94.9%) in the CTR group and 31 eyes (74.3%) in the control group (P =.012). The difference in BCVA was not statistically significant between the 2 groups (P =.44); however, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was significantly better in the CTR group (P =.026). CONCLUSION In cases of cataract associated with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, implanting a CTR before phacoemulsification of the nucleus reduced intraoperative zonular separation, increased the rate of capsular IOL fixation, and improved UCVA.