Purpose: Nuclear sclerosis develops frequently after successful pars plana vitrectomy. We evaluated changes in the degree of nuclear sclerosis after nonvitrectomizing vitreous surgery for idiopathic epimacular proliferation.
Methods: Forty-one consecutive patients (41 eyes) underwent removal of idiopathic epimacular proliferation by nonvitrectomizing vitreous surgery and were followed postoperatively for at least 12 months. Visual acuity, refractive error, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and Scheimpflug photographs were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively to evaluate changes in the degree of lenticular opacification. Quantitative analysis of the nuclear sclerosis was performed by densitometry with Scheimpflug photographs performed on only the last 21 patients. We evaluated these measurements by comparing statistically the preoperative and postoperative difference between both eyes (operative eye minus nonoperative ocular data).
Results: There was no significant difference in the progression of nuclear sclerosis or degree of myopic shift between the operated and fellow eyes during postoperative follow-up (mean +/- SD, 22 +/- 8 months; median, 22 months; range, 12 to 48 months). The average preoperative and postoperative refractive errors in operated eyes were 0.0 +/- 2.4 diopters and 0.1 +/- 2.5 diopters, respectively; the average difference in the refractive errors between both eyes was -0.2 +/- 0.7 diopter preoperatively and -0.2 +/- 0.9 diopter postoperatively (P =.961, paired t test). The average preoperative and postoperative nuclear density values by Scheimpflug photography in 21 operated eyes were, respectively, 72 +/- 18 nuclear density units and 75 +/- 17 nuclear density units; the average difference in nuclear density values between both eyes was -1 +/- 4 nuclear density units preoperatively and 0 +/- 6 nuclear density units postoperatively (P =.631, paired t test).
Conclusion: Progression of nuclear sclerotic cataract based on changes in refractive error and Scheimpflug photography was not observed after nonvitrectomizing vitreous surgery.