Intracapsular cataract extraction has become a routine procedure. In competent hands the incidence of operative complications has decreased to a level comparable with other standard surgical procedures on the human body. This state of affairs now allows the ophthalmologist to concentrate his efforts to a greater degree in an attempt to eliminate the late postoperative complications. One of these is persistent corneal edema.
Authorities1-4 agree that sliding is the preferred method of cataract delivery where obvious cornea guttata exists or if an eye has had a previous penetrating keratoplasty. Agreement lies in the accepted belief that minimal corneal manipulation and anterior chamber instrumentation is important in preventing endothelial damage.5-7 The authors are in full accord with this. Because of a specific interest in corneal diseases, we have frequently seen patients with persistent corneal edema following cataract extraction. Many of these eyes apparently had minimal or unrecognized cornea guttata