Inflammation after phacoemulsification in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without retinopathy: Prospective study

Purpose: To evaluate inflammation after clear corneal incision (CCl) catara ct surgery in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and no r etinopathy. Methods: Forty patients with diabetes and 40 age-matched controls had stand ardized temporal CCl cataract surgery with implantation of a foldable intra ocular lens. Anterior chamber flare was evaluated in an undilated eye with a laser flare-cell meter preoperatively and 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days postop eratively. Results: In both groups, flare and cell values increased on the first posto perative day and successively decreased on the following days. Flare had no t recovered to preoperative values by day 28. At no time was there a signif icant mean difference in cell and flare between the 2 groups. Conclusion: it does not appear necessary to alter the postoperative therape utic regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and no retinopathy.