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Thirty-nine eyes with clinical cystoid macular edema (CME) following extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were reviewed retrospectively. Chronic CME, defined as clinically symptomatic CME persisting more than 6 months, developed in 14 of the 39 eyes (36%): in 5 of the 7 (71%) eyes in which vitreous loss occurred and anterior chamber IOLs were implanted; and in 9 of 32 (28%) eyes in which no complications occurred and posterior chamber IOLs were implanted. The mean duration between diagnosis and last follow-up visit was 34 months. Only 4 of the 14 eyes (29%) with chronic CME achieved a visual acuity better than 20/40. Vitreous loss did not affect long-term visual prognosis.

We reviewed the records of 2,100 consecutive eyes that had undergone extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation between January 1981 and December 1989. Of these eyes, 21 had inactive and four had active proliferative diabetic retinopathy at the time of cataract extraction. Twenty-one eyes with inactive proliferative diabetic retinopathy received extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation, and four eyes with active proliferative diabetic retinopathy had both extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and pars plana vitrectomy with endophotocoagulation. The mean follow-up period was 27 months. Final visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 12 of 25 eyes (48%). Of 25 eyes, five (20%) showed progression of the retinopathy after the operation, and two (8%) developed macular edema. Extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation was well tolerated in most eyes.

We reviewed the records of 28 patients who had undergone successful scleral buckling surgery followed by extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of an intraocular lens. Posterior chamber intraocular lenses were inserted in 27 eyes, and anterior chamber intraocular lenses were inserted in two eyes with posterior capsule rupture at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up period was 44 months. Final visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 15 of 29 eyes (52%). One eye (3.4%) developed a recurrent retinal detachment 15 months after cataract surgery. Two eyes (6.9%) developed angiographically proven cystoid macular edema. The outcome for extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation in eyes that had previously undergone successful scleral buckling for retinal detachment is favorable.