To evaluate the risk factors for the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery or combined cataract and vitreoretinal surgery.

In the present study all surgical procedures were performed by the same surgeon. We retrospectively reviewed 272 consecutive eyes that received cataract surgery or combined cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. The risk factors including gender, age, diabetes, continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) size, intraocular lens shape, intraoperative intravitreal bevacizumab, gas, and silicone oil injections were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis.

PCO developed in 55 (20.2%) out of 272 eyes. The mean age was 63.3 ± 12.1 years (range 23-85 years) and mean follow-up period was 17.3 ± 3 months. A correlation existed between the development of the PCO and age ( p < 0.05), CCC size ( p = 0.009), vitreoretinal surgery ( p = 0.014), intraoperative intravitreal gas ( p = 0.009) and silicone oil injections ( p = 0.005). However, no statistical correlation with gender, diabetes, intraocular lens shape, or intraoperative intravitreal bevacizumab injection was observed ( p > 0.05).

The risk factors associated with PCO included young age, large CCC size, combined cataract and vitreoretinal surgery, intraoperative intravitreal gas and silicone oil injections.