When to postpone cataract surgery: Taking in consideration patients’ quality of life

Abstract

Purpose: Assessment of complication in surgery of complicated cataracts and option of post- ponement of surgery. Setting: Clinic for eye diseases, Clinical Centre of Serbia Methods: This was a retrospective observational case series. Results: In 16 patients subjected to cataract sur- gery by method of phacoemulsification, three experi- enced complications during surgery. Two experienced rupture of posterior lens capsule and prolapse of the vi- treous body, and one, expulsive hemorrhage. The vi- sual acuity in all three patients was lesser than the preo- perative visual acuity. In the second group of 16 pati- ents, after having been acquainted with the survey, the cataract surgery was postponed and the patients were controlled after one year. The cataract progressed just partially in certain patients and all the patients were sa- tisfied with the status of their vision and did not de- mand surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery in complica- ted cases may be accompanied by complications with uncertain postoperative visual results. Therefore, in patients with complicated cataracts and relatively pre- served visual acuity, it is necessary to be careful with proposing surgery and often obey their wish to postpo- ne surgery. This should be done particularly with pati- ents of advanced age, patients with poor general status of life and in monoculuses.