Phacoemulsification with primary implantation of an intraocular lens in patients with uveitis

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the outcome of cataract surgery in adult patients with uveitis.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective cohort study, medical charts of patients with uveitis and matched control patients without uveitis who underwent cataract surgery at the Eye Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, between January 2005 and December 2009 were analyzed.

Results

The study included 58 eyes with and 283 eyes without uveitis. The most common etiologies were idiopathic anterior uveitis and Fuchs’ heterochromic uveitis. Postoperative visual acuity at 4 weeks was ≥0.5 decimal (0.3 logMAR) in 48 eyes with uveitis (87.3%) compared to 180 non-uveitic eyes (86.1%). Four eyes with uveitis (7.1%) and one eye without uveitis (0.5%) developed postoperative intraocular hypertension/glaucoma. Posterior capsule opacification developed in 11 eyes (19.0%) with and 28 eyes (12.4%) without uveitis.

Conclusion

With appropriate perioperative anti-inflammatory regimen and surveillance, modern cataract surgery using phacoemulsification and primary intraocular lens implantation can be performed in patients with uveitis without greater risk of complications, yielding similar visual outcome as in patients without uveitis.

Keywords:

• cataract
• intraocular lens
• phacoemulsification
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Sahlgrenska University Hospital (“Agreement concerning research and education of doctors”; ALFGBG-441721), Göteborg Medical Society, Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, Dr Reinhard Marcuses Foundation, Konung Gustaf V:s och Drottning Victorias Frimurarestiftelse, Hjalmar Svensson Foundation, Greta Andersson Foundation, Herman Svensson Foundation, Ögonfonden, De Blindas Vänner and Kronprinsessan Margaretas Arbetsnämnd för Synskadade.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.