Longitudinal study of intraocular lens implants after intracapsular cataract extraction. Complete follow-up of the first 7 years.

Lens implant surgery has a significant complication rate, although most complications are treatable and occur within the first 2 months after operation. The short-term visual results are comparable with the published results of intracapsular extraction alone. Six cases of bullous keratopathy developed in 138 cases in 7 1/2 years. When endothelial cell density fell below 500/mm2, corneal oedema developed within the year. However, a more recent study showed that endothelial cell loss was much reduced by the closed chamber technique of insertion and by serum coating of the implant.