Relative factors of retinal detachment after phacoemulsification cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation

Abstract

To investigate the incidence and related factors of retinal detachment (RD) after phacoemulsification cataract extraction and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in an unselected patient group. This retrospective review was comprised of 10 076 cataract patients (13 625 eyes) who had phacoemulsification cataract extraction and IOL implantation from December 1, 1998 to September 30, 2008. The patients were of different ages, gender, left or right eye and different type of cataracts. The incidence of postoperative RD was assessed and the relative risk factors were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The average age was 67.22 +/- 15.10 years old with 4439 males and 5637 females. The difference between the numbers of men and women was statistically significant (chi(2) = 142.44, P < 0.01). A total of 6701 left eyes and 6924 right eyes showed no significant difference (chi(2) = 3.65, P = 0.056). And 65.91% of these eyes were age-related cataract. During the post-operation observation period, 32 eyes of RD in 32 patients were observed from 10 days to 74 months post-operation. The ratio was 0.32% with an estimated risk (Kaplan-Meier) of 0.47% at 74 months. These results confirmed that myopia and increased axial length were significantly associated with RD (chi(2) = 14.55, P < 0.001) and recognized risk factors for RD such as high myopia, posterior capsular bag rupture and Nd: YAG capsulotomy. Among these 32 eyes, 31 eyes had one successful retina re-attaching operation (90.32%) and two eyes were given up because of post-operative relapse. The incidence of RD increases after phacoemulsification cataract extraction and IOL implantation in an unselected patient group. Hypermyopia, posterior capsular bag rupture and Nd: YAG capsulotomy are possible risk factors of the RD.