Advanced cataract in Singapore--its prognosis and complications

A retrospective study of 995 eyes that had undergone cataract surgery between January and March 1990 revealed that one in 20 (50 eyes) were advanced cataracts which, by our definition, included hypermature, Morgagnian and intumescent cataracts. Thirty percent of these cases suffered from cataract-related complications preoperatively: phacomorphic glaucoma (12/50 eyes), phacolytic glaucoma (1/50 eyes), and subluxed cataract without trauma (2/50 eyes). Cataract surgery in these advanced cataracts produced significantly poorer results than the rest. One in four eyes failed to achieve visual acuity of 6/12 or better (best corrected) postoperatively, while one in eight eyes did not improve beyond Hand Movement vision. The main reason for poor visual results was lens-induced glaucoma (80%).