Frequency and type of macular edema after cataract surgery in patients with glaucoma

Abstract

Cataract is one of the common causes of reversible vision loss in people older than 50 years. Currently, the only way to treat it effectively is phacoemulsification with simultaneous implantation of an intraocular lens - a method that minimizes the amount of surgical trauma and the number of intra- and postoperative complications. Nevertheless, the problem of prevention and timely diagnosis of pathological changes in the retina, which may develop after extraction of cataracts, and in particular - macular edema, remains relevant. This problem becomes especially important when it comes to patients with concomitant cataract and glaucoma who use local antihypertensive drugs - in particular, prostaglandin analogues - for a long time. Having common properties with inflammatory mediators, in some cases they can cause vasodilation, increase vascular permeability and contribute to the development of exudative processes. Drugs of this group can cause impairment of the hematophthalmic and hematoretinal barriers provoking the development of cystoid macular edema, including in the early postoperative period after cataract extraction. As described by S. Irvine in 1953, macular edema is related to late postoperative complications and remains one of the main causes of visual impairment after lens removal. The review provides information about some studies concerning the effect of prostaglandin derivatives on the postoperative period after phacoemulsification. At this time, there is no consensus on this matter.