CATARACT PATIENTS IN A DEFINED SWEDISH POPULATION, 1986 TO 1990 .5. POSTOPERATIVE RETINAL DETACHMENTS

Objective: To estimate the risk of retinal detachment after cataract s urgery. Design: Prospective study from December 17, 1985, through Dece mber 31, 1992 of all cataract surgeries performed in a single referral region of the Lund (Sweden) Health Care District from December 17, 19 85, through December 31, 1990. Setting: The University Hospital of Lun d. Patients: Data were collected on 5878 consecutive cataract operatio ns. The study population was complete enough to represent all cataract surgery in the referral region during this period. Results: Two years after cataract surgery, the risk of retinal detachment was 0.18%. The follow-up period after cataract surgery in this study was up to 7 yea rs, with a mean of 50.7 months (>4 years), and the total risk of retin al detachment or detachment-related conditions was 0.71%, all cases in cluded. The relative risk of detachment was 4.9 after YAG laser capsul otomy. It changed by a factor of 1.3 with an increase in the axial len gth of 1 mm and by 0.94 for each added year of patient age. Conclusion : A young patient with axial myopia operated on because of cataract an d postoperatively treated with YAG laser capsulotomy runs an important increased risk of developing retinal detachment.