[Retinal complications of cataract surgery]

Main retinal complications of cataract extraction are retinal detachment and cystoid macular edema. The incidence of retinal detachment after ex traction is 1 %, and may increase after Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy to 4 %. Cystoid macular edema in aphakic or pseudophakic patients is unusually transient, with a decrease of visual acuity in about 3 % of cases; a long lasting cystoid macular edema with prolonged visual deficiency is described in only 1 % of cases. The incidence of photic macular injuries is estimated at between 7 and 28 % of cases; most photoretinal injuries are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic because of their extrafoveolar location. Finally, the visual prognosis after cataract surgery is poor in diabetic patients, because of the frequency of cystoid macular edema and progression of diabetic retinopathy.