[Progression of diabetic retinopathy following cataract extraction]

A progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been noted following cataract surgery. The retrospective study reported here covered 219 eyes of diabetic patients on which cataract surgery was performed: in 122 cases with intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE; Group A) without implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL), and in 97 cases with extracapsular cataract extraction and implantation of an intraocular lens (ECCE + IOL; Group B). The existence of diabetic retinopathy was established preoperatively, enabling the population to be divided into subgroups without DR (Groups A1 and B1) and with DR (Groups A2 and B2). Progression of DR was observed in 18% of the eyes in Group A, as opposed to 9.3% of those in Group B (P less than 0.05). Progression to background retinopathy was observed in 10% of the cases in Group A and in 1.3% of the cases in Group B (P less than 0.025). A deterioration was also observed in 33% of the cases in Group A2 and 40% of those in Group B2. Maculopathy progressed in 23% of the cases in Group A2 and 30% of those in Group B2. Rubeosis iridis occurred in 9% of the cases in Group A2 and 5% of those in Group B2. Vitreous hemorrhage following ICCE occurred in 12% of the cases in Group A2. As regards the incidence of neovascular glaucoma and vitreous hemorrhage, ICCE appears to carry a relatively higher risk than ECCE with IOL. This is not the cases if only the progression of maculopathy is considered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)