This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Combined vitrectomy, scleral buckle increases risk for cataract

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

SAN DIEGO – Patients undergoing combined vitrectomy and scleral buckling surgery have a higher risk of developing cataracts than those undergoing either surgery alone, according to a group of researchers.

In a poster presentation here at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting, R.I. Huffman and colleagues reviewed the medical records of phakic patients who underwent vitrectomy alone, scleral buckling alone or both procedures combined, between January 1998 and December 2002.

Of 40 patients who underwent vitrectomy alone, mild postop cataract (defined as a change in severity of 1+) developed in 22 patients (55%). In 18 patients who underwent scleral buckling alone, mild postop cataract developed in two patients (11%). In 12 patients who underwent a combined procedure, 11 (92%) developed mild postop cataract.

Moderate postoperative cataract (a change in severity of 2+) developed in 14 of 40 eyes (35%) after vitrectomy alone, in one of 18 eyes (5%) after scleral buckling surgery alone and in eight of 12 eyes (67%) after a combined procedure.