Pre-operative Risk Factors, Intraoperative Complications and Postoperative Visual Outcome in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Phacoemulsification

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of diabetes on phacoemulsification surgeryby analyzingrisk factors, intraoperative complications and final visual outcome.Study Design: Case control study.Methods: This study analyzed 100 eyes of 100 patients who underwent phacoemulsification. Data included demographic details, history of diabetes, pupillary dilatation, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, intraoperative complications and final visual outcome.Results: The patients had similar age distribution with female predominance in diabetic group. Diabetics had a statistically significant (p<0.05) shallower anterior chamber depth (2.92 ± 0.52 mm) compared to non-diabetics (3.12 mm ± 0.44 mm). Lens thickness was greater in diabetics but was statistically not significant. Diabetic group had 6 (12%) eyes with poor pupillary dilatation (<6 mm). Intraoperative complications were more frequent in diabetics, which included escaping capsulorhexisin 3 (6%) cases, floppy iris syndrome in one (2%) case. On the contrary, the non-diabetic group had no intraoperative complications. Out of total sample of 100, 86% patientswith diabetes and 96% patients without diabetes had postoperative visual acuity between 6/6 and 6/9, (p<0.05).Conclusion: Diabetes can affect pupillary dilatation, anterior chamber depth, and lens thickness in patients with senile cataract. Although diabetic patients have a higher risk of intraoperative complications, their visual outcomes are comparable to those of non-diabetic patients.Keywords: Cataract, Diabetes mellitus, Anterior chamber depth, Lens thickness, Floppy irisSyndrome.