• An intumescent cataract developed 16 weeks after radial keratotomy in a 31-year-old man. Corneal perforation was documented at the time of surgery, but no direct injury was noted to the lens capsule. Visual acuity decreased to hand motions during a four-month course. Successful extracapsular cataract extraction occurred seven months following the original radial keratotomy. Soft contact lens correction of aphakia recovered a visual acuity of 6/6.