Foreign body embedded in the iris after cataract surgery

Abstract

Case report: a 75-year old woman who had had cataract surgery in her left eye and showed a visual acuity of 0.8 twenty-four hours post-surgery. Biomicroscopy revealed a foreign body attached to the iris in the nasal sector that coincided with the main incision of the phacoemulsification, which was then removed in a second surgical procedure. It was analysed and described as an inert structure made of plastic.

Discussion: The possible origin of the presence of a fragment of plastic in the postoperative period following cataract surgery is established. In this case, its inert nature did not cause any further intraocular inflammation. Its rigid structure also favoured its attachment to the iris, thus avoiding any other complications. There must be greater preventative measures during cataract surgery, including checking the instruments and accessories before and after the surgical procedure.

Keywords: Cataract surgery; Cirugía de catarata; Cuerpo extraño; Facoemulsificación; Foreign body; Iris; Phacoemulsification; Plastic; Plástico.