Membrane Formation on the Surface of Implanted Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lenses

Purpose:To study the prevention and treatment of the membrane formation on the lens surface after extracapsular cataract extraction(ECCE)with posterior chamber intraocular lens(PCIOL)implantation.Methods:We reviewed the records of 312 cataractous patients that had undergone ECCEwith PCIOLimplantation between1989and1993,Postoperatively all pa-tients were examined under slit-lamp microscopy.The membrane formation on the surface of PCIOLin pupilar area was divided into four grades.Two mem-branes of surgical removal were observed under a transmission electrom mi-croscopy.One PCIOLof surgical removal was observed under a scanning electron microscopy.Results;Of312 patients,21 had the membrane formation on the surface of the PCIOL postoperatively.The incidence of the membrane formation was6.7%.Comparisone with cases of senile cataract showed the incidence to be significantly the highest among;1.patients who had traumatic cataract(P<0.05);2.pa-tients with complicated cataract(P<0.05).Interoperatively residual lens corten and rupture of posterior capsule,interval time betwwen the first and second eye operations less than 1month are the main factors of menbrane formation.The ultrastructure in membrane and cytology on the lens surface showed that the membrane on the surface of PCIOLs is usually composed of acellular protein film and cellular elements,including macrophages.fibroblast-like cells,epithelioid cells,giant cells,fibroblasts and collagen fibrils,etc.Conclusions:The cellular response on the surface of an implanted PCIOLis a chonic foreign-body inflammatory reaction and the membrane of the surfaceof implanted PCIOL is a reactive membrane of the foreign-body.Eye Science1995;11:131-135.