Anterior capsule polishing prevents anterior capsule fibrosis after phacovitrectomy without intraocular lens implantation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether anterior capsule polishing can prevent the fibrosis of the anterior capsule in phacovitrectomy without intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A retrospective study including seventy cases of phacovitrectomy without IOL implantation was conducted. Fifty cases received 360-degree anterior capsule polishing, and 20 cases did not receive polishing. The severity of anterior capsule fibrosis was calculated by adding the score (from 0 to 3) of each clock hour. The fibrosis severity was compared in the groups with and without polishing using Mann-Whitney U test. The risk factors of anterior capsule fibrosis were explored using single and multiple linear regression. The location of secondary intraocular lens implantation was compared between the polishing and non-polishing groups with Chi-square test. RESULTS: The median severity score of the polishing group was significantly less than that of the non-polishing group (6 vs. 24 out of 36, P < 0.001). Multiple regression showed that diabetes (b = 14.634, P = 0.001), silicone oil tamponade (b = 8.734, P < 0.001), and non-polishing (b = 13.731, P < 0.001) were the risk factors of anterior capsule fibrosis. Anterior capsule polishing was associated with a higher chance of secondary in-the-bag IOL implantation (OR = 4.889, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Polishing the anterior capsule is associated with reduced fibrosis of the anterior capsule in phacovitrectomy without primary IOL implantation, and more chance of secondary in-the-bag IOL implantation.