To determine the effect of a capsular tension ring (CTR) implantation in preventing posterior capsular opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery in patients with high myopia.

In this prospective single-surgeon standardized-surgical-procedure fellow-eye comparison trial, 34 patients with high myopia had phacoemulsification surgery. Although one eye received an acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) and CTR, other eye received only an IOL as control. PCO, within the capsulorhexis overlap, was documented by standardized digital retroillumination images at least 2 years post-operatively, and the percentage area of PCO was scored (scale 0%-100%) using the POCOman software system. The PCO score and the incidence of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) capsulotomy of groups, and correlations between PCO score and presence of CTR, age, phaco time, refraction, and axial length (AL) were determined.

The mean time interval from surgery to PCO measurement was 43.4 ± 11.2 months for the eyes with a CTR and 43.1 ± 11.6 months for the controls (P = 0.91). The PCO score of the eyes with a CTR was significantly lower than in the controls (5.9 ± 4.3 vs. 22.3 ± 12.2, respectively; P < 0.001). There were statistically insignificant correlations between PCO score and pre-operative refraction (r = 0.02; P = 0.90), AL (r = 0.03; P = 0.80), phaco time (r = 0.11; P = 0.53), and patient's age (r = 0.23; P = 0.55). No patient with a CTR had a Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy, but it was six in controls (P = 0.025).

CTR implantation seems to be effective in reducing the PCO and Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy rates in high myopic eyes.