Frequency of Complications Following Cataract Surgery in Diabetic Patients at Tertiary Care Hospital

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of complications following cataract surgery in diabetic patients admitted in the ophthalmology unit. METHODOLOGY: A prospective descriptive interventional case series study was conducted after approval of the ethical committee, from June 2017-June 2020 at the Ophthalmology department MTI-MMC. A total of 129 patients from either gender were enrolled in study. All the study patients went through detailed history and complete ocular examination. After necessary investigations, surgical procedure was carried out. Results were analyzed through the SPSS-24 version. RESULTS: Out of the total 129 eyes of the diabetic patients, fifty-nine (45.7%) were males and seventy (54.3%) were females with a ratio of 1:1.2. Uveitis leads the chart in complications found in twenty (15.50%) eyes while PODR being the least common found in only ten (7.75%) eyes. Worse visual acuity was observed in fourteen (10.85%) eyes. Striate keratopathy and posterior capsule opacification were found in sixteen (12.40%) and fifteen (11.62%) eyes respectively. Among the patients, 15.7% were having more than one complication during follow-up visits and eighty-eight (68.2%) eyes were found to have none complication. The age group 51-60 years observed frequent complications as compared to other groups. Similarly female gender (38.57%) has frequent complications as compared to males (2.7%). CONCLUSION: The study concludes Uveitis as the most common complication observed in 15.50% 0f the eyes while worse visual acuity (10.85%) and progression of diabetic retinopathy (7.75%) being the least common. Striate keratopathy was found in 12.40% while posterior capsule opacification in 11.62% of the eyes.

Anterior segment OCT application in quantifying posterior capsule opacification severity with varied intraocular lens designs

AIM: To evaluate the application of anterior segment-optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in posterior capsule opacification (PCO) severity assessment and analyse the relationship between PCO severity and intraocular lens (IOL) characters. METHODS: PCO patients were prospectively recruited. Cross-sectional images of the anterior segment at horizontal and vertical meridians were acquired with AS-OCT. The area of the IOL-PC (posterior capsular) space and PCO severity (area, thickness, and density at 3 mm and 5 mm IOL optic regions) were measured. The relationship between PCO severity and visual acuity, comparisons of PCO severity and IOL-PC space using varied IOL designs were analysed. RESULTS: One hundred PCO eyes were enrolled. IOL-PC space, PCO thickness and area were positively correlated with axial length. In addition, PCO area and thickness were positively correlated with visual acuity when it was ≤0.52 logMAR. The cut-off level of visual acuity should be 0.52 logMAR. With varied IOL designs, 3-piece C haptic IOL showed a smaller PCO area and thickness than the 1-piece 3 haptic IOL and 1-piece 4 haptic IOL. PCO area and thickness values for an IOL with a diameter ≤11.0 mm was greater than for an IOL with a diameter of 12.5 mm, and the differences were statistically significant. PCO area and thickness increased when IOL haptic angulation increased (from 0 to 12 degrees). CONCLUSION: In PCO eyes, cut-off level of visual acuity is 0.52 logMAR. With more severe PCO, visual acuity maybe not enough to describe the visual function impairment. PCO severity and IOL-PC space are significantly correlated with axial length and IOL design and material.

Posterior Capsule Opacification: A Review of Experimental Studies

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common complication of cataract surgery. It causes a gradual deterioration of visual acuity, which would otherwise improve after a successful procedure. Despite recent advances in ophthalmology, this complication has not been eradicated, and the incidence of PCO can be as high as 10%. This article reviews the literature concerning the pathomechanism of PCO and examines the biochemical pathways involved in its formation and methods to prevent this complication. We also review the reported tests performed in cell cultures under laboratory conditions and in experimental animal models and in ex vivo human lens capsules. Finally, we describe research involving human eyes in the clinical setting and pharmacological methods that may reduce the frequency of PCO. Due to the multifactorial etiology of PCO, in vitro studies make it possible to assess the factors contributing to its complications and search for new therapeutic targets. Not all pathways involved in cell proliferation, migration, and contraction of the lens capsule are reproducible in laboratory conditions; moreover, PCO in humans and laboratory animals may be additionally stimulated by various degrees of postoperative reactions depending on the course of surgery. Therefore, further studies are necessary.