Visual Outcome And Complications In White Cataract During Surgery

To identify risk factors and perioperative complications and assess postoperative visual outcome in patients of white mature cataracts undergoing phacoemulsification or small incision cataract surgery.

Tertiary Care Eye Hospital and Medical College, Odisha, India

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 patients of white mature cataract undergoing phacoemulsification and small incision cataract surgery (SICS) in a tertiary care institution in the year June 2024-July 2025. A comprehensive ocular examination was done, biometry, type of surgery was documented. Intraoperative and postoperative complications (on days 1, 7, and 30) and best-corrected visual acuity on postoperative day 30 were noted. Visual acuity was finally assessed at 3 months. All the data underwent statistical analysis.

Mean age of patients was 60.78 ± 9.001 years. 58.3% of males and 41.7% of females. 8 (13.3%) cases complications occurred during phacoemulsification and 12 (18.3%) in SICS. Intraoperative complications were capsulorhexis-related in 5 (8.3%) vs 10 (16.7%), posterior capsular rent in 2 (3.3%) vs 5 (8.3%) , and 1 (1.6%) vs 4 (6.7%) had zonular dialysis. No difference in mean ACD and LT  in cases who developed complications and in uneventful surgery (P > 0.05). Postoperative complications were corneal edema (31.3%), anterior chamber flare (15.6%), and IOP rise (29.1%) which resolved with routine topical medications.  88.4% of cases regained vision between 6/6 and 6/9 postoperatively at one and three month follow-up (P < 0.001).

Phacoemulsification is safe in white mature cataract that results in significant visual improvement. Common intraoperative complications are capsule related, and postoperative complications are corneal edema and anterior chamber reaction.