Experience Of A Cataract Fellowship

We aim to share and report about a three-month cataract fellowship at the university clinic of Istanbul, Ümraniye. It includes my personal experience of the phacoemulsifications that I assisted. Our goal is to help young surgeons to understand some essential obstacles of phaco surgery and avoid mistakes. 

We documented all cases from 1st of February to end of April 2023 and analyzed the biomicroscopic findings, results and complications. The data was collected within a cataract fellowship at the public university hospital Ümraniye, in the city of Istanbul, Turkey.

Our report includes patients age, lens diopter, axial length, biomicroscopic findings, pupillary dilatation and complications during the operation. A total of 6 parameters were selected and analyzed statistically, including demographic, biometric and intraoperative data. Mostly monofocal IOL were implanted in an unilateral phaco surgery. We registered exemplary pictures and video material that we discuss.

The parameters with the greatest impact included age, cataract grade, dilatation, surgeon and intraoperative complications. The most significant complication was posterior capsule rupture. The highest complication rate appeared with trainees as surgeons.

In conclusion we can say that every step of phacoemulsification is important and influences the following stages. When training new surgeons, a special focus should be to avoid posterior capsule rupture. A good execution of the capsulorhexis, careful phacoemulsification and IOL insertion are crucial.  By looking at some of the challenges of phaco surgery, we hope to help future young surgeons in their learning process to a more complication free surgery.