Visual outcome and postoperative complications of cataract surgery in patients with ocular surface disorders

Manvi Aggarwal; Abha Gour; Nidhi Gupta; Aastha Singh; Virender Sangwan

doi:10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001396

Visual outcome and postoperative complications of cataract surgery in patients with ocular surface disorders

J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024 May 1;50(5):474-480. doi: 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001396.

Authors

Manvi Aggarwal¹, Abha Gour, Nidhi Gupta, Aastha Singh, Virender Sangwan

Affiliation

¹ From the Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery Services, Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, Daryaganj, New Delhi, India .

PMID: 38237065
DOI: 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001396

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the visual outcome and postoperative complications of cataract surgery in patients with ocular surface disorders (OSDs).

Setting: Tertiary eyecare center in North India.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Methods: Patients with various OSDs with stabilized ocular surfaces who underwent cataract surgery during this period and had a minimum postoperative follow-up of 6 weeks were included. The primary outcome measures were postoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) at 6 weeks, best CDVA achieved, and postoperative complications.

Results: The study included 20 men and 24 women. A total of 55 eyes were evaluated: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) 35 eyes, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) 4 eyes, 8 eyes with dry eye disease (DED), 6 eyes with chemical injury and 2 eyes with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). The mean duration of OSD was 33.9 ± 52.17 months. The median preoperative CDVA was 2.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.45 to 2.0). The median CDVA ever achieved was 0.50 (IQR, 0.18 to 1.45) at 2 months and the median CDVA at 6 weeks was 0.6 (IQR, 0.3 to 1.5). Maximum improvement in CDVA was noted in patients with DED and SJS and the least in OCP. Phacoemulsification was performed in 47.27% eyes with intraoperative complications noted in 9% eyes. Postoperative surface complications occurred in 12 (21.82%) eyes. Other postoperative complications occurred in 9 (16%) eyes.

Conclusions: Cataract surgery outcome can be visually rewarding in patients with OSDs provided ocular surface integrity is adequately maintained preoperatively and postoperatively.