The lens and pars plana vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy complications.

Major cataracts developed in 28 of 168 eyes during the six months after pars plana vitrectomy for complications of diabetic retinopathy. In only ten of these cases did the cataract influence the visual results. The visual acuities of the phakic and aphakic eyes six months after vitrectomy were almost identical. Rubeosis iridis occurred in 23% of the phakic eyes and 45% of the aphakic eyes, with the difference being related to the loss in the aphakic eyes of a protective barrier lens quality. However, this same barrier quality increased the incidence of postoperative opaque vitreous hemorrhage from 8% of the aphakic eyes to 21% of the phakic eyes. Corneal epithelial edema at surgery occurred in 55% of those eyes that had lens removal combined with vitrectomy, but in only 36% of those that retained their lenses, and the difference was caused by the increase in operative time and procedure.