PURPOSE: To observe the effect of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation with or without lens capsular tension ring (CTR) on retinitis pigmentosa (RP) combined with cataract patients. DESIGN: Retrospective case series study. METHODS: 63 cases (84 eyes) of RP with cataract were collected, including 30 males and 33 females. Phacoemulsification with 3.0 mm clear corneal incision was performed in all the patients. IOL and CTR implantation was performed in 44 eyes, and IOL implantation alone was performed in 40 eyes. All cases were followed up at 1 week and 1, 3, 6 months after the surgery to compare the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal endothelial cell count (ECC) and complications before and after the surgery. RESULTS: All surgeries were successfully completed by the same physician, and IOL and CTR were all implanted in capsule without complications. The BCVA at 6 months after surgery was 0.91±0.88 LogMAR. It improved a little compared with the BCVA(1.3±0.7LogMAR) before surgery and there was statistically significant difference (P=0.003). Four cases of capsule contraction syndrome (CCS) occurred in no CTR implantation group and there was no CCS in CTR group. There was statistically significant difference in the incidence of CCS between two groups(P=0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Phacoemulsification for RP combined with cataract is safe and reliable, and CTR implantation is helpful in reducing the complications caused by capsule contraction