Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the visual outcome and safety of simultaneus cataract extraction in patients who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation during surgery program.for low-income populations in nearby states to Estado de Mexico
Methods:
This retrospective study reviewed the results of 1300 consecutive patients (2600 eyes) who had simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery during a cataract surgery campaign for low income populations. Each patient was studied in detail including biomicroscopy, tonometry an fundus examination. All patients with vision 20/50 or worse were included for bilateral procedure. All Surgeries were performed by five diferent surgeons in a complete estrile and independent conditions for each eye of each patient . All patients underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation from June 2012 to February 2013. Outcome measures were postoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity and postoperative complication rates.
Results:
The visual acuity as expected, improved significantly and complications were few and in all cases in a single eye, showing that there is no increased risk in a bilateral surgey. The double procedure was positively received by patients because it reduced the cost of post-operative treatment and decreases the recovery time
Conclusions:
There are certain circumstances in which it is acceptable bilateral cataract surgery and in our case the aim was to visually rehabilitate populations that otherwise would not have been able to get bilateral eye surgery. The most important factor to consider is an adequate selection of patients and the experience of the surgeons to minimize the risks.
Keywords: 445 cataract •
462 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications •
743 treatment outcomes of cataract surgery