Simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and outcomes of simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery (SBCS).


METHODS
York Finch Eye Associates and Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


METHODS
This retrospective study reviewed the results of 1020 consecutive patients (2040 eyes) who had SBCS by endolenticular phacoemulsification through a clear corneal incision on the corneal steep axis with foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. The surgeries were performed by the same surgeon from January 1996 to January 2002 as 2 consecutive independent procedures under topical and intracameral anesthesia. Outcome measures included intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative uncorrected and best spectacle-corrected visual acuities, refractive error, and patient satisfaction.


RESULTS
Complications were few and would not likely have been prevented had the surgery been performed monocularly.


CONCLUSIONS
Simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery did not lead to an increased incidence of intraoperative or postoperative complications. The visual acuity results were good, and the patients were pleased. No complications were observed that could be attributed to the procedures being done bilaterally.
Arshinoff
Steve A
SA
Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. saaeyes@idirect.com
Strube
Yi Ning J
YN
Yagev
Ronit
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015348:Vision, Binocular