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[Survey of the necessary follow-up examinations after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery]
J M Montañés1, D A Pérez De Madrid, A G Layana
1Departamento de Oftalmología, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain. jmoreno@unav.es
Objective:
To evaluate which the minimum number of postoperative examinations after uncomplicated phacoemulsification cataract surgery is needed to assure an appropriate follow-up schedule. We evaluated the number of patients that were excluded from the postoperative follow-up schedule and their causes.
Methods:
A prospective study was performed on 120 eyes (106 patients), that were randomised in two groups: one with two follow-up visits (first day and one month) and another with three postoperative visits (first day, one week and one month).
Results:
Fifteen eyes (12.5%) were excluded from the postoperative visits regime: 11 cases (18.9%) in the group of two visits and 4 cases (6.45%) in the group of three visits. In 10 cases (8.33%) the patient excluded himself from the schedule. The most frequent causes were: doubts about the outdoor activity that could be done, trauma, or complaints about the topical medications. Only in 6 cases they came to the clinic. No further complications were detected in the group of 2 examinations as compared with the other group.
Conclusions:
According to the number of patients who left the follow-up schedule as well as the number of complications observed, it appears that in most instances 2 postoperative examinations may be appropriate enough.