Complete occlusion of the anterior capsular opening after intact capsulorhexis: clinicopathologic correlation

Abstract PURPOSE: To report histopathologic findings of capsule contraction syndrome with complete occlusion of the capsulorhexis opening. METHODS: Case report. In an 81-year-old woman, a complete occlusion of the anterior capsulorhexis opening developed 2 months after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. We surgically removed the contracted anterior capsule and analyzed the membrane by standard light microscopy and actin immunohistology. RESULTS: Light microscopic analysis of the membrane showed fibrous tissue subcapsularly with metaplastic lens epithelial cells. The contracted capsulorhexis opening was filled completely with proliferated actin-positive lens epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Complete occlusion of the capsulorhexis opening can be attributed to excessive shrinkage of the capsule, probably caused by actin filaments found in the residual lens epithelial cells together with weak zonular support, and to the occlusion of the remaining central defect by massive proliferation of metaplastic lens epithelial cells.