From the American Academy of Ophthalmology

This retrospective review compared complication rates during cataract surgery among patients who had previously undergone vitrectomy, those who underwent combined phaco-vitrectomy and those who had cataract surgery alone. The same surgeon performed all procedures. Incidence of posterior capsule rupture was significantly higher in previously vitrectomized eyes (11.4 percent) compared with the combined procedure group (4.5 percent) or cataract alone (2.4 percent) – a result likely caused by a hard nucleus cataract in vitrectomized eyes. They suggest removing the lens at the time of vitrectomy, or right after vitrectomy or use advanced modifications of the phaco chop technique. Retina, November/December 2012