Lower eyelid involutional entropion following cataract surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Ophthalmic Surgery

Background:

• Lower eyelid entropion is a condition where the eyelid margin inturns, causing eyelashes to rub against the eyeball.
• Cataract surgery is a common procedure, and understanding its potential complications is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cataract surgery and the subsequent development of lower eyelid entropion.
• To identify factors that may increase the risk of entropion after cataract surgery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study of 14,574 patients undergoing first-eye cataract surgery.
• Comparison of entropion repair rates between pseudophakic (post-surgery) and phakic (unoperated fellow eye) groups.
• Analysis of intraoperative patient factors as potential risk factors for entropion.

Main Results:

• Eyes that underwent cataract surgery had a fourfold higher relative risk of entropion repair compared to unoperated eyes.
• The increased risk of entropion was observed up to 12 years post-surgery, with a median time to repair of 58 months.
• Intraoperative factors such as patient movement, eyelid squeezing, pain, and anxiety were independent risk factors for subsequent entropion.

Conclusions:

• Cataract surgery is significantly associated with an increased risk of developing lower eyelid entropion.
• Surgeons should consider this risk during pre- and post-operative assessments for cataract surgery patients.