Abstract
Purpose: :
To report combined pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and phacoemulsification in eyes with significant cataract and coexisting posterior segment involvement as a feasible treatment in patients with chronic uveitis. This study reports the outcomes on visual acuity and uveitis recurrence.
Methods: :
This study included 13 patients (5 men, 8 women; 18 eyes) with visually significant cataract and posterior segment involvement secondary to chronic uveitis who had combined phacoemulsification and PPV from 2003 to 2008 at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. The main outcome measures were visual acuity, intraocular pressure, cystoid macular edema, uveitis recurrence, and reduction in systemic medications.
Results: :
The mean age was 35.46 years ± 16.31 (SD). The mean duration of uveitis before surgery was 145.67 ± 107.59 months. All 18 eyes received a posterior capsular intraocular lens without complication in addition to a PPV. Visual acuity improved in all 18 eyes (100%) despite 4 (22.2%) eyes with cystoid macula edema, 2 (11.1%) eyes with an epiretinal membrane, and 10 (55.6%) eyes with posterior capsular opacity where 3 (16.7%) eyes required a YAG laser capsulotomy. Uveitis recurrence occurred in 6 eyes (33.3%) with a mean post-op follow-up time of 29.17 ± 23.27 months.
Conclusions: :
Our findings indicate combined PPV and phacoemulsification is a feasible technique in the treatment of visually significant cataract and posterior segment involvement in patients with chronic uveitis. This treatment resulted in improved visual acuity and affects uveitis recurrence indicating a role as a therapeutic procedure for chronic uveitis.
Keywords: uveitis-clinical/animal model • vitreoretinal surgery • treatment outcomes of cataract surgery