-Case Reports-

Two Cases of True Exfoliation of the Lens Capsule after Cataract Surgery

Hideaki Oharazawa¹, Hisaharu Suzuki¹, Hironori Matsui¹, Toshihiko Shiwa¹, Hiroshi Takahashi¹ and Kunitoshi Ohara²

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Nippon Medical School
²Kichijyoji Minamicho Eye Clinic, Tokyo

True exfoliation of the lens capsule is known to be associated with glassblower's cataract, which is caused by extended exposure to excessive heat. Furthermore, inflammation and trauma are also considered to be predisposing factors. We report two cases of true exfoliation that were confirmed after cataract surgery. Neither patient exhibited true exfoliation before cataract surgery. In addition, neither patient had a history of occupation with exposure to excessive heat, inflammation or trauma. We observed the anterior lens capsules of these two patients with slit-lamp microscopy before and after cataract surgery. True exfoliation disappeared by adhering to the anterior capsule in both cases, and there were no complications during the observation period.

J Nippon Med Sch 2007; 74: 55-60

Keywords
true exfoliation, lens capsule, cataract surgery

Correspondence to
Hideaki Oharazawa, MD, Ph D, Department of Ophthalmology, Nippon Medical School Musashi Kosugi Hospital, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
hideaki@nms.ac.jp

Received, October 25, 2006
Accepted, November 21, 2006