A study of more than 900,000 eyes has shown that patients who have undergone intravitreal therapy prior to cataract surgery have greater risk of intraoperative complications (IC).

In the study, Dr Poya Hård Af Segerstad of Skåne University Hospital, Sweden, defined IC as posterior capsule rupture and/or zonular dehiscence. Using the Swedish National Cataract Register as the data source, the author noted the overall rate of IC was 0.86%. After cross referencing, 3,451 eyes were identified as having undergone intravitreal therapy prior to cataract surgery and had a 1.45 times greater IC risk. Other significant risk associations were best corrected visual acuity ≥1.0, age ≥90 years, male sex, pseudoexfoliation, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, surgeon’s experience, use of rhexis forceps, blue staining and mechanical pupil dilation.

Dr Poya Hård Af Segerstad

The risk model derived from the data could be used in the preoperative setting to predict the probability of IC and to facilitate surgery planning and patient communication, said Dr Hård Af Segerstad.