Simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery

Arshinoff, Steve A; Strube, Yi Ning J; Yagev, Ronit

doi:10.1016/S0886-3350(03)00052-X

« Previous Next »Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Volume 29, Issue 7 , Pages 1281-1291, July 2003

Simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery☆

Presented in part at the ASCRS Symposium on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery, Seattle, Washington, April 1999, Boston, Massachusetts, May 2000, and San Diego, California, April 2001, USA.

Steve A Arshinoff, MD, FRCSC
- Reprint requests to Steve A. Arshinoff, MD, FRCSC, York Finch Eye Associates, 2115 Finch Avenue West, #316, Toronto, Ontario M3N 2V6, Canada.
- Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Yi Ning J Strube, MS
- Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Ronit Yagev, MD
- Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Accepted 7 January 2003.

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and outcomes of simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery (SBCS).

Setting

York Finch Eye Associates and Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Methods

This retrospective study reviewed the results of 1020 consecutive patients (2040 eyes) who had SBCS by endolenticular phacoemulsification through a clear corneal incision on the corneal steep axis with foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. The surgeries were performed by the same surgeon from January 1996 to January 2002 as 2 consecutive independent procedures under topical and intracameral anesthesia. Outcome measures included intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative uncorrected and best spectacle-corrected visual acuities, refractive error, and patient satisfaction.

Results

Complications were few and would not likely have been prevented had the surgery been performed monocularly.

Conclusions

Simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery did not lead to an increased incidence of intraoperative or postoperative complications. The visual acuity results were good, and the patients were pleased. No complications were observed that could be attributed to the procedures being done bilaterally.