Anticoagulant therapy and cataract surgery

A questionnaire was sent round to the 200 members of the Netherlands Intraocular Implant Club (NIOIC), in which they were asked about the policy followed in 1988 with regard to anticoagulant therapy (ACT) and the use of aspirin before and after cataract surgery. Ninety-nine formulas were returned, of which ninety-two were suitable for analysis. It appeared that 62% of the eye surgeons stopped ACT, whereas only 33% stopped the use of aspirin. After stopping ACT nine, in some cases serious, systemic complications arose. The continuation of ACT led to 3 ocular complications. It would appear that continuation of ACT and the use of aspirin is to be recommended.