AIM:Toinvestigatethefrequencyofidiopathicphacodonesis(IP)insenilecataractsubjectsandtheshort-termclinicaloutcomesfollowingcataractsurgery.METHODS:Thisinstitutionalcase-controlstudyincluded1301consecutivelow-incomecataractsubjectsfromJunetoNovember2009.Anteriorsegmentwerecarefullyevaluatedwithdilatedpupilunderslit-lamp.IPwerescreenedandgradedbyacriteriasetbytheauthors.Riskfactors,surgicaloutcomes,andoperativecomplicationswereanalyzed.RESULTS:Atotalof42subjects(3.2%)withIPwerediagnosedandclassifiedasgrade1(36subjects),grade2(5subjects)andgrade3(1subject).HarderlensesandintumescentcataractswereobservedintheIPgroupthanthecontrolgroup(P<0.05).Logisticsregressiontestalsoindicatedthemainriskfactorwasthehardnessofthelens.Theincidenceofzonulardialysisduringsurgerywas23.8%(10eyes),whichwassignificantlyhigherthanthecontrols(0.7%,P<0.001).Visualoutcomesofthetwogroupswerenotstatisticallyorclinicallysignificant.CONCLUSION:HardnucleusandintumescentcataractarerelatedtoIPinsenilecataractsubjectsinQinghai,China.Withmorecarebeingtaken,grade1andsomeofthegrade2IPsubjectsachievedsimilarsurgicaloutcomesascomparedtocontrols.
