Materials and Methods: Twenty seven patients (17 male, 10 female) who underwent PPV for the removal of the lens fragments in the vitreous as a complication of cataract surgery from May 1998 to January 2005 were retrospectively evaluated; in terms surgical techniques, peroperative and postoperative complications and visual success.

Results: The mean age of the 27 patients was 70.7 years(56-86 years) and the average follow-up period was 10.7 (3-36) months. The average period between cataract surgery and PPV was 14.8 days (2-48). Intraocular inflammation (51.8%), corneal edema (44.4%), and increased intraocular pressure (IOP) (29.6%) were the most common findings before PPV. The lens material was removed with phacofragmentation in 12 patients, crushed between the vitrectomy instrument and light pipe in 10 patients and through limbal extraction with the help of perfluorocarbon liquid in 5 patients. The peroperative complications were three iatrogenic tears in phacofragmentation groups (25%) and one choroidal detachment in crushing group (10%). The final visual acuity was (p+p+)-hand motion in 3 eyes, counting finger at 1-4 meters in 4 eyes, 0.1-0.4 in 10 eyes and 0.5 or better in 10 eyes. The visual acuity improved in 74.1% of eyes, remained the same in 18.5% of eyes, and deteriorated in 7.4% of eyes in the postoperative period. Postoperative complications were temporary corneal edema (18.5%), increased intraocular pressure (11.1%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (7.4%), cellophane maculopathy (7.4%) and bullose keratopathies (7.4%).

Conclusion: Pars plana vitrectomy with crushing technique may be safer than phacofragmentation in selective cases with retained lens material after cataract surgery. Keywords : Cataract surgery, retained lens material in vitreous,pars plana vitrectomy