Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema progression after phacoemulsification: prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression after phacoemulsification in patients with type II diabetes.


METHODS
Service of Ophthalmology, University of Sant Joan, Barcelona, Spain.


METHODS
This prospective study evaluated 132 patients with diabetes mellitus who had monocular phacoemulsification. A control group comprised the patients' contralateral eyes. Data analysis included preoperative retinal findings and DR status; hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides levels; insulin treatment; and arterial hypertension.


RESULTS
Postoperative visual acuity increased by 2 or more lines in 105 patients (79.55%); the mean postoperative acuity was 0.63 +/- 0.28 (SD). Diabetic retinopathy in the operated eye progressed in 31 patients (23.48%) and in the fellow eye in 28 patients (21.21%). The progression was associated with high levels of HbA1c and diabetes mellitus duration in both groups. Diabetic macular edema occurred in the operated eye in 8 patients (6.06%) and in the fellow eye in 6 patients (4.54%). Pseudophakic macular edema developed in 2 eyes (1.52%). The progression of diabetic macular edema was not associated with the risk factors studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery may not cause DR progression.
Romero-Aroca
Pedro
P
Universidad Rovira i Virgili (Romero-Aroca, Fernández-Ballart), Catalonia, Spain. promero@grupsagessa.com
Fernández-Ballart
Juan
J
Almena-Garcia
Matias
M
Méndez-Marín
Isabel
I
Salvat-Serra
Merce
M
Buil-Calvo
Jose A
JA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014792:Visual Acuity
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D014280:Triglycerides