Cataract surgery as a risk factor for retinal detachment in very highly myopic eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of retinal detachment (RD) after cataract surgery performed by phacoemulsification in very highly myopic eyes.


METHODS
Retrospective, paired-eye, case-control trial.


METHODS
We assessed the development of RD in 930 eyes from 930 subjects (mean age = 62.5 +/- 8.5 years) affected by very high myopia (between -15 and -30 diopters) undergoing cataract surgery after uncomplicated phacoemulsification (cataract-subjected [CS] eyes). Fellow eyes served as controls. Follow-up was 36 months.


METHODS
Detachment of the retina.


RESULTS
Retinal detachment was observed in 8.0% of CS eyes compared with 1.2% of control eyes (P<0.01, chi-square test). In CS eyes, posterior RD was most common (52.7% of eyes with RD). In control eyes, peripheral detachments with or without macular involvement were most common (47.3% of eyes with RD).


CONCLUSIONS
Cataract surgery, despite the use of a safe technique such as phacoemulsification, increases the risk of RD development in very highly myopic eyes.
Ripandelli
Guido
G
Fondazione G. B. Bietti per l'Oftalmologia, Rome, Italy.
Scassa
Cecilia
C
Parisi
Vincenzo
V
Gazzaniga
Daniela
D
D'Amico
Donald J
DJ
Stirpe
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019923:Capsulorhexis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity