The Effect of Staying at Home or in a Container on Early Postoperative Findings After Cataract Surgery

Purpose: Investigating the effect of staying in a container or at home on postoperative findings after cataract surgery Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent cataract surgery between May 2023 and May 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they stayed at home or in a container. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal edema, central corneal thickness (CCT) assessed by pachymetry, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded and preoperatively, early findings at the 1st week and 1st month postoperatively compared between the two groups. Results: The postoperative BCVA values at week 1 and month 1 in both group were significantly improved compared to the preoperative values (p<0.05). In both group, corneal edema and CCT values were significantly higher at week 1 (1.1) compared to preoperative values. The IOP values at postoperative week 1 and month 1 were significantly lower than the preoperative values (p<0.05). When comparing the groups that stayed at home and those that stayed in the container after cataract surgery, no significant differences were observed in BCVA, corneal edema, CCT, and IOP at the 1st week and 1st month. When evaluating other postoperative complications, no cases of endophthalmitis, cystoid macular edema, retinal detachment, or corneal decompensation were reported in either group. Conclusion: Recent studies conducted in earthquake-affected regions of Turkey have shown that hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead, and other toxic substances were released into the environment during the earthquake. Exposure to toxic pollutants in the air, water, and soil can vary depending on whether one stays at home or in a container. In our study, this situation did not affect the outcomes after cataract surgery. We observed that postoperative care at home or in a container had no significant impact on surgical and visual early outcomes after cataract surgery. The limitations of the study included its retrospective nature and small sample size. There is a need for prospective studies with larger sample sizes.