Ocular surgery in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Patients with severe diabetic nephropathy often have diabetic retinopathy requiring eye surgery. During the course of their nephropathy, which was treated medically (group A, N = 34), with dialysis (group B, N = 18), or with renal transplantation (group C, N = 2), 54 diabetic patients have had eye surgery. The ophthalmologic procedures included cataract extraction, vitrectomy, scleral buckling, and cyclocryosurgery. The complications included postoperative hemorrhagic glaucoma and persistent retinal detachment. These were encountered in two patients of group A and in two of group B. All other cases showed uneventful intra- and postoperative courses. Major eye surgery can be performed safely during therapy for diabetic nephropathy, including hemodialysis with anticoagulation and transplantation with immunosuppression.