Cataract patients in a defined Swedish population, 1986 to 1990. V. Postoperative retinal detachments.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the risk of retinal detachment after cataract surgery.


METHODS
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.


METHODS
The University Hospital of Lund.


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Ninn-Pedersen
K
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Lund (Sweden) University Hospital.
Bauer
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity