AIM: To investigate the risk factors and prognosis of posterior capsular rupture in phacoemulsification cataract surgery through analyzing the cataract patients in our hospital.

METHODS: Totally 1 825 patients(1 912 eyes)treated in our hospital were selected from November 2012 to November 2015. The patients with posterior capsular rupture were as observation group. Control group was randomly selected with a 1: 4 ratio in patients without posterior capsular rupture. All the patient's age, gender, type of cataract, ocular disease history, other medical history, surgical history, preoperative intraocular pressure, the eyes affected, the health situation, visual acuity at 1d before and after surgery and other factors were recorded and analyzed for risk factors and prognosis.

RESULTS: Statistical results showed gender, type of cataract, preoperative intraocular pressure, history of tobacco and alcohol, eyes affected and other factors did not impact on the rupture rate(P>0.05); and type of nucleus, preoperative visual acuity, some eye diseases were the risk factors for posterior capsule rupture(P<0.05). Postoperative visual acuity of the two groups was all improved, but visual acuity of patients with posterior capsule rupture significantly decreased.

CONCLUSION: With eye disease history(a history of vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment before surgery and preoperative visual acuity <20/200)are more likely to result in intraoperative posterior capsular rupture. Nuclear hardness over grade Ⅳ is also an important risk factor. Before one surgery, it is needed to learn more about the medical history of cataract patients, to conduct a reasonable comprehensive assessment for risk factors, to decrease the risk in the surgery, which are to increase the success rate and to improve the prognosis.