Intra-Operative and Immediate Post-Operative Complications of Cataract Surgery in an Eye Camp

Doi: 10.36351/pjo.v36i3.1056

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the intra-operative and immediate post-operative complications in patients after cataract
surgery in an eye camp.
Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a village of Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan from 7th to
9th of February 2020.
Material and Methods: Fifteen hundred patients were screened for visual disabilities of which 150 were selected
for the study. They had a visual acuity of less than 6/9 in one or both eyes and had a cataract. The selected
patients were operated using either phacoemulsification, extracapsular cataract extraction ECCE), intracapsular
cataract extraction (ICCE) or small incision cataract surgery (SICS). The immediate intra-operative as well as
post-operative complications on day 1 after surgery were observed.
Results: One hundred and fifty patients were operated. Age ranged from 14 years to 90 years, males were
58.7% and females were 41.3%. The most common procedure performed was phacoemulsification 51.3%,
followed by ECCE 30.0%, then SICS 18.0% and ICCE 0.7%. The most common intra-operative complication was
posterior capsule rent and the most common post-operative complication was striate keratopathy which was seen
in 14.0% individuals. There was a significant association found for post-operative complications with gender with
females having more post-operative complications as compared to males (P-value = 0.001 < 0.001).
Conclusion: Camp surgeries when performed with strict sterilization and in experienced hands can play an
important role in treating cataract, which is the commonest cause of preventable blindness in developing
countries