Cataract patients in a defined Swedish population, 1986 to 1990. V. Postoperative retinal detachments

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the risk of retinal detachment after cataract surgery.

Design: Prospective study from December 17, 1985, through December 31, 1992 of all cataract surgeries performed in a single referral region of the Lund (Sweden) Health Care District from December 17, 1985, through December 31, 1990.

Setting: The University Hospital of Lund.

Patients: Data were collected on 5878 consecutive cataract operations. The study population was complete enough to represent all cataract surgery in the referral region during this period.

Results: Two years after cataract surgery, the risk of retinal detachment was 0.18%. The follow-up period after cataract surgery in this study was up to 7 years, with a mean of 50.7 months (>4 years), and the total risk of retinal detachment or detachment-related conditions was 0.71%, all cases included. The relative risk of detachment was 4.9 after YAG laser capsulotomy. It changed by a factor of 1.3 with an increase in the axial length of 1 mm and by 0.94 for each added year of patient age.

Conclusion: A young patient with axial myopia operated on because of cataract and postoperatively treated with YAG laser capsulotomy runs an important increased risk of developing retinal detachment.