Corneal and retinal complications after cataract extraction. The mechanical aspect of endophthalmodonesis.

Removal of the crystalline lens deprives the eye of the stabilizing effect of the lens-zonule barrier. Intracapsular extraction also causes loss of stability inside the vitreous cavity itself (vitreodonesis). The lack of stability inside the aphakic eye is defined as endophthalmodonesis. Oscillations induced by saccadic eye movements cause turbulences in the aqueous humor and in liquid pools present in the vitreous cavity. Therefore, endophthalmodonesis is a continuing trauma to the eye. The hypothesis that corneal and retinal complications of cataract extraction, other than those of surgical origin, are due to the mechanical aspect of endophthalmodonesis is discussed. This hypothesis explains why, after complete removal of the lens-zonule barrier, the intracapsular aphakic eye suffers more from "barrier deprivation, than the extracapsular aphakic eye after incomplete removal of this barrier.