Pars-plana vitrectomy with phacofragmentation for hyperdense cataracts in eyes with severe microcornea and chorio-retinal coloboma: A novel approach

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of pars-plana approach for the management of brunescent cataract in eyes with severe microcornea and associated chorio-retinal coloboma. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single center, interventional case series performed in a tertiary eyecare center in central Medical records of consecutive cases of microcornea with coloboma who underwent pars-plana vitrectomy with phacofragmentation (PF) between January 2015 and December 2017 were reviewed. RESULTS: The study group comprised of 30 eyes of 30 patients, of which 18 (60%) were males and 12 (40%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 41.9 years (range of 17–70 years). The mean corneal diameter was 6.7 mm with a range of 4–8 mm and all the eyes had dense cataract with nuclear sclerosis of grade 4 or more. The mean preoperative visual acuity was 1.97 (+/-0.067) Log MAR and the mean postoperative vision at 1 month was 1.6 (+/-0.39) Log MAR. Postoperatively, 21 patients (70%) gained ambulatory vision. The visual gain in all the patients was maintained over a mean follow-up period of 15.5 months. CONCLUSION: Pars-plana vitrectomy with PF can be considered in eyes with severe microcornea and brunescent cataracts, where cataract surgery through the limbal (anterior) approach is not only difficult but at times impossible due to anatomical restraints.