Cataract Outcomes Following Scleral Buckle Surgery for Retinal Detachment

To investigate refractive, visual, and safety outcomes of cataract surgery performed after scleral buckling (SB) for retinal detachment (RD).

A chart review at an academic medical center identified eyes with history of SB followed by subsequent cataract extraction between 2010 and 2022. Eyes with less than 3 weeks follow-up, silicone oil at time of biometry measurement, previous cornea surgery, or co-existing pathology impacting refractive outcomes were excluded. Predicted postoperative spherical equivalents (SE) were calculated with the Barrett Universal II (BU2), Kane, and SRK/T formulas for the implanted intraocular lens (IOL), and complications occurring within 1 year of surgery were abstracted.

Sixty eyes of 60 patients met criteria for inclusion, and 40 (66.7%) had postoperative refraction recorded. Absolute prediction errors were 0.49, 0.45, and 0.52D with BU2, Kane, and SRK/T, respectively. Actual postoperative refraction was within 0.5 and 1.0 D of predicted in 26 (65.0%) and 36 (90.0%) using BU2, 23 (58%) and 37 (93%) using Kane, and 21 (52.5%) and 36 (90.0%) using SRK/T. In eyes with macula-on RD, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of logMAR 0.301 (≈20/40) and logMAR 0.544 (≈20/70) or better was achieved in 12 (75.0%) and 15 (93.8%) of eyes. For macula-off RD eyes, these proportions were 19 (63.3%) and 24 (80.0%), respectively. Posterior capsular opacification requiring Nd: YAG capsulotomy was the most frequent complication in 30 (56.7%) eyes.

Refractive outcomes of cataract surgery following SB may be modestly reduced, even when using modern formulas. Nevertheless, cataract surgery in this population results in favorable visual outcomes.