Outcomes And Complications Of Cataract Surgery In Adult Anterior Uveitis

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes and complications of cataract surgery in eyes with anterior uveitis (AU).

Retrospective chart review.

Medical history, pre-operative and post-operative ophthalmological examination findings including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior and posterior segment findings and complications of the 94 anterior uveitic eyes that underwent cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation between 2007-2022 were reviewed. Patients with childhood chronic anterior uveitis, patients who were under 18 years of age and patients who were followed less than a year post-operatively were excluded.

A total of 60 eyes of 48 patients (29 F, 19 M) with mean age of 61.8±124 years were included. The ethiology was HLA-B27 associated uveitis in 16(26.6%) eyes, herpetic uveitis in 6(10%), Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis in 4(6.6%) and idiopathic in 34 (56.6%) eyes.BCVA improved from 0.2±0.19 preoperatively to 0.78±0.28 at postoperative 6th month (p=0.00), 0.75±0.28 at postoperative 1 year (p=0.00), 0.72±0.28 at the last visit (median 54 months, p=0.00).Intraoperative complications were rupture in posterior capsule [2 eyes], zonular dialysis [1 eye], residual cortex material chamber [2 eyes] and floppy iris [2 eyes]. Postoperative complications were capsular fimosis [13 eyes], reactivation of uveitis [10 eyes], cystoid macular edema [1 eye].

Cataract surgery was found as safe and effective in adult anterior uveitis patients with a significant increase in BCVA.