The results of posterior chamber lens implantation.

We studied 1,216 consecutive cases where the surgeon's intent was to implant a posterior chamber lens. In 37 cases, the surgeon elected to put in an anterior chamber lens because of events occurring at the time of surgery. In no instance was the intraocular lens procedure aborted and a lens not implanted. In the 37 cases implanted with anterior chamber lenses, 76% had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. In the 1,179 cases that had posterior chamber lenses implanted, 90% had visual acuity of 20/40 or better, and only 1% had worse than 20/400 vision. Senile macular degeneration accounted for over one-half of the 104 patients with a visual acuity of 20/40 or worse. Visual results appeared to be age related; 96% of patients who were less than 75-years-old achieved an acuity of 20/40 or better, whereas only 80% of those over 75 years achieved this level. Our results suggest that extracapsular extraction with posterior chamber lens implantation is safe and provides good visual results.