Flattened anterior chamber or absence of a formed anterior chamber is a complication of cataract surgery generally believed to be associated with a high incidence of aphakic glaucoma. While the incidence of vitreous loss, iris prolapse, and ocular infections has been reduced by refinements in anesthesia, wound closure, and antibiotic therapy, the occurrence of flat chamber still remains a problem.
Postoperative flat chamber, with its attendant danger of aphakic glaucoma, has been of great concern to the ophthalmic surgeon. Czermak1 in 1897 recognized microscopically the closure of the chamber angle in aphakic glaucoma. A correlation between peripheral anterior synechiae and aphakic glaucoma was noted by Troncoso2 in 1934. Kronfeld and Grossman,3 McLean,4 and, later, Meyer and Sternberg5 indicated the relationship of delayed formation of the anterior chamber, peripheral anterior synechiae, and aphakic glaucoma. Sugar6 attributed the delayed re-formation of the anterior chamber to poor