The Clinical Evaluation about the Impact of Cataract Operation on the Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy

Kim, Muyan; Chung, Jin; Kim, Hyun Seung

Abstract

PURPOSE: To study the effect of cataract surgery and associated risk factors on the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
METHODS
We performed monocular cataract surgery in 45 diabetic patients having no or the same degree of retinopathy in both eyes. After 1 year follow up, we classified patients into 2 groups and analyzed them. Group A: newly developed retinopathy only at operated eye and more progressed at operated eye than the other eye among those who didn't have retinopathy prior to surgery. And if with preoperative retinopathy, either progressed only at the operated eye or more aggravated compared to contralateral progression. Group B: neither newly developed nor more aggravated compared to the other eye.
RESULTS
15 of 45 patients (33.3%) were included in Group A and 30 patients (66.7%) in Group B. Operated eye significantly showed more severe retinopathy than non-operated contralateral eye (P<0.05). Frequency of preoperative macular edema and decreased renal function were significantly higher in Group A (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between the two groups according to age, diabetes duration, operation method and hypertension (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Diabetic retinopathy was progressed after cataract operation and preoperative macular edema and diabetic nephropathy affected retinopathy progression.