Capsulovitreotomy: a technique for intracapsular lens extraction in cats.

I Successful intracapsular lens extraction has been performed in the cat. This animal has a strong hyaloideocapsular attachment, a flaccid sclera, and a zonule which is highly resistant to alpha-chymotrypsin. Because of these characteristics, intracapsular lens extraction in cats is not possible by conventional methods. Using osmotic agents, cryoextraction, and surgical microscopy, we have performed direct, sharp dissection of the zonule and the hyaloideocapsular attachment (zonulotomy and capstdovitreotomy) in 28 cat eyes. Complete intracapsular extraction without vitreous loss was accomplished in 24 of these, including the last 14 consecutive cases. When complications arose, they occurred during zonulotomy rather than capsulovitreotomy.