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Selective, non-selective alpha blockers present risk for IFIS during cataract surgery
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SEATTLE — Both selective and non-selective alpha blockers taken before cataract surgery were associated with intraoperative floppy iris syndrome in a retrospective study of a large Veterans Health Administration database, according to a poster here.
“Altogether, complication rates were fairly low,” David E. Vollman, MD, told Ocular Surgery News at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting.
Using the Ophthalmic Surgical Outcome Database, Vollman and colleagues studied the rate of untoward events during cataract surgery. Of 1,294 patients taking alpha blockers, both selective and non-selective, about one-third (428 patients) had documented IFIS. Eighteen patients with IFIS had more than one intraoperative complication, including anterior and posterior tears, iris prolapse, iris trauma and vitreous prolapse, according to the presentation. A pupillary expansion device was used during surgery in 430 patients, among whom 186 (43%) had IFIS.
“Even with a large database like ours, you may need thousands and thousands of patients before you can tease out an association,” Vollman said.
Disclosure: Vollman has no relevant financial disclosures.