Experience in cataract surgery assisted by femtosecond laser at Fundación Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the transoperative results of cataract surgeries assisted by femtosecond laser. METHOD: Observational, descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study of 420 surgical records made with the LenSx platform from April 2015 to August 2017. The review of records was made through the internal electronic system accessing the preoperative and postoperative note. The information was collected through a database in Excel. The analysis of variables was performed by means of descriptive statistics with measures of central tendency. RESULTS: 86 files met inclusion criteria. The average age was 63 years. There was a general frequency of complications of 27.9% (24 surgeries). The most frequent complications were incomplete or impermeable corneal wound (37.5%), incomplete capsulorhexis (25%) and posterior capsule rupture (16.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The femtosecond laser technology incorporated in cataract surgery can be considered successful because of a low overall frequency of complications.

OBJETIVO: Describir las complicaciones transoperatorias de las cirugías de catarata asistidas por láser de femtosegundo. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, retrospectivo y transversal de 420 expedientes de cirugías realizadas con la plataforma LenSx de abril de 2015 a agosto de 2017. La revisión de expedientes se realizó a través del sistema electrónico interno accediendo a las notas preoperatoria y posoperatoria. La información se recopiló en una base de datos Excel. Se realizó el análisis de variables por medio de estadística descriptiva con medidas de tendencia central. RESULTADOS: Cumplieron criterios de inclusión 86 expedientes. La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 63 años. Se presentó una frecuencia general de complicaciones del 27.9% (24 cirugías). Las complicaciones que ocurrieron con mayor frecuencia fueron herida corneal incompleta o impermeable (37.5%), capsulorrexis incompleta (25%) y rotura de cápsula posterior (16.7%). CONCLUSIONES: La tecnología de láser de femtosegundo incorporada en la cirugía de catarata puede considerarse como exitosa al tener una baja frecuencia general de complicaciones.

Risk of posterior capsular rupture during phacoemulsification cataract surgery in eyes with previous intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether previous intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections are a predictor for posterior capsular rupture (PCR) during phacoemulsification cataract surgery. SETTING: Whipps Cross University Hospital Eye Treatment Centre, London, United Kingdom. DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective, electronic medical record (EMR) database study with univariate analysis. METHODS: Data were extracted from an EMR system on eyes undergoing phacoemulsification surgery between August 1, 2016, and January 1, 2018. Patient demographics, indication for intravitreal therapy, treatment type, the number of previous intravitreal injections (IVIs), diabetic status, surgeon grade, and operative complications were included as variables for analysis. RESULTS: Data were available for 4047 cataract operations. Of these, 108 (2.7%) had undergone previous anti-VEGF IVI treatment. Three eyes were noted to have preoperative PC trauma and were excluded from the final analysis. The logistic regression analysis after exclusion of the eyes with pre-existing damage to the PC confirmed that previous anti-VEGF IVI treatment was associated with an increased risk of PCR when compared with the non-IVI group (6.67% vs 1.88%, P < .0001). There is a dose-dependent relationship between the number of anti-VEGF injections and the likelihood of PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Previous intravitreal anti-VEGF injections are significantly correlated with an increased risk of surgical PCR, despite the absence of visible structural damage to the posterior capsule preoperatively.

Endophthalmitis reduction with intracameral moxifloxacin in eyes with and without surgical complications: Results from 2 million consecutive cataract surgeries.

PURPOSE: To analyze the posterior capsule rupture (PCR) rates among staff and trainee cataract surgeons, and the postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) rates in uncomplicated and complicated eyes both with and without intracameral moxifloxacin prophylaxis (ICMP). SETTING: Ten regional Aravind Eye Hospitals in India. DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter clinical registry within a single hospital network. METHODS: POE rates with and without ICMP were statistically compared for all eyes and separately for trainees versus staff, for phacoemulsification versus manual small-incision cataract surgery (M-SICS), and for a subgroup of eyes complicated by PCR or requiring secondary surgery. RESULTS: All cataract surgeries (2 062 643) performed during the 8-year period from 2011 to 2018 at the 10 regional Aravind Eye hospitals were included in the analysis. With ICMP, the overall POE rate declined from 692 (0.07%) of 993 009 eyes to 185 (0.02%) of 1 069 634 eyes (P < .001). This was independently significant for phacoemulsification and for M-SICS (P < .001). The overall PCR rate was 28 352 (1.37%) of 2 062 643 eyes, and it was statistically higher for trainees irrespective of surgical method (P < .001). Both staff and trainee surgeons had higher PCR rates with phacoemulsification than with M-SICS (P < .001). Absent ICMP, PCR increased the overall POE rate by more than 7-fold to 63 (0.43%) of 14 505 eyes. ICMP reduced the POE rate after PCR to 25 (0.18%) of 13 847 eyes (P = .002). This ICMP benefit was separately significant for both M-SICS (0.54% vs 0.26%, P = .01) and phacoemulsification (0.29% vs 0.06%, P = .005). The POE rate was especially high after secondary IOL implantation (0.90% without ICMP vs 0.34% with ICMP; P = .10). CONCLUSIONS: ICMP reduced the POE rate overall, with phacoemulsification, with M-SICS, and in eyes with PCR.

Risk-Adjusted CUSUM Analysis of the Learning Curve of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery.

Objectives: To determine the length of the learning curve of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) by a risk-adjusted cumulative sum method. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective review of the first 288 FLACS performed by three surgeons over a 12-month period. The learning curves were analyzed separately for each surgeon and as pooled data via risk-adjusted cumulative sum methods. Change-point analysis was performed to estimate the length of the learning curve. Results: Rates of complications were as follows: anterior capsular tear (ACT) (3.4%), posterior capsular rupture (PCR) (0.7%), vitreous loss (0.3%), iris trauma (0.7%), Descemet's membrane tear (0.3%). There was a strong confidence level (96%) that there was a stable performance in terms of PCR after case 16 for the pooled data. Surgeon 1 did not have any cases of PCR, surgeons 2 and 3 exhibited change points at case 5 and 16, respectively (confidence levels = 99%, 98%). There was a strong confidence level (99.8%) that there was stable performance in terms of ACT after case 14 for the pooled data, however the individual surgeons demonstrated individual change points at case 1 (surgeon 1, confidence 99%), case 14 (surgeon 2, confidence 99%), and case 49 (surgeon 3, confidence 96%). Conclusions: The results suggest that there is an increased risk of ACT and PCR in FLACS within a surgeon's first 14 and 16 operations, respectively. Measures should be adopted to minimize harm to patients during this phase. However, overall rates of complications were safe.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database Study of cataract surgery. Report 5: Clinical outcome and risk factors for posterior capsule rupture and visual acuity loss following cataract surgery in patients aged 90 years and older.

BACKGROUND: Older age is commonly associated with an increased risk of surgical complications and comparatively poor outcomes. PURPOSE: To report cataract surgery outcomes and risk indicators for patients aged 90 years and older. METHODS: Data collected as part of routine cataract care in 34 centres contributing to the United Kingdom Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database (NOD) were analysed. Very elderly people undergoing cataract surgery were profiled in terms of demographics, pre- and postoperative best-measured visual acuity (VA), ocular co-morbidities, intraoperative posterior capsule rupture (PCR) or vitreous loss or both, and risk indicators for operative PCR and adverse VA outcome. RESULTS: 25,856 cataract operations in 19,166 people of 90 years or older between 2000 and 2014 are reported. Preoperative VA was available for 82.4% eyes, being 0.30 LogMAR or better in 21.5%. Postoperative VA was available for 61.8% eyes, being 0.30 LogMAR or better in 74.4%. For those without ocular co-morbidity, postoperative VA was 0.30 LogMAR or better in 84.7%. Various co-morbidities were present in 49% and contributed to an adverse VA outcome. PCR data were available for all operations and occurred in 2.7%. Significant risk indicators for PCR included pseudoexfoliation/phakodonesis, mature cataract, smaller pupil and worse preoperative VA. CONCLUSIONS: Slightly poorer cataract surgery outcome results were noted in patients of 90 years or older, more so in patients with ocular co-morbidity which was highly prevalent. However, surgeons should not be deterred from offering cataract surgery to the very elderly as successful visual rehabilitation remains achievable.

[Manual small incision cataract surgery: Experience of a regional eye care service in Togo]. / La chirurgie de la cataracte à petite incision manuelle : experience d'un service régional de soins oculaires au Togo.

In order to fight against blindness in the central region of Togo, a project was implemented in a partnership between the Ministry of Health and an international Non-Governmental Organization: the Swiss Red Cross. Cataract surgery underwent an annual audit of the research-action type, in order to improve the functional results of patients. One of the recommendations of these audits was the introduction of manual small incision surgery in place of the classic extracapsular technique. This study had for its objective to evaluate the functional results and follow-up of patients undergoing the new technique compared with quality standards of cataract surgery according to the World Health Organization. This study was carried out by retrospective analysis of records and operative reports of patients over twenty years of age undergoing manual small incision cataract surgery from June 2012 to June 2015. Out of a total of 1292 patients undergoing cataract surgery in the five districts covered by the project during the same period, 1003 patients met the inclusion criteria (77.63 %). Among the 1003 cases, 504 (50.25 %) were male, while 499 (49.75 %) were female. The overall mean age was 62 years. The cataract was total in 84.65 % of cases and partial in 15.35 % of cases where visual acuities were quantifiable. Postoperative complications were dominated by corneal edema (22 %). On the first postoperative day, the good results (visual acuity≥3/10), the average results (visual acuity between 3/10 and 1/10) and the poor results (visual acuity<1/10) were respectively 41.2 %, 50.60 % and 8.2 % without optical correction, changing to 64.40 %, 28.90 % and 6.70 % after optical correction. Between the first and third week, 855 patients (85 %) were seen again. The good, average and poor results were respectively 61.90 %, 35.70 % and 2.40 % without correction, going to 85.30 %, 12.70 % and 2 % after optical correction. Among the 85.30 % good results, 53 % had a visual acuity≥5/10. Residual ametropias are the main cause of poor functional results and the introduction of biometry can contribute to their improvement. Cataract surgery through a well-controlled manual small incision is a promising alternative to the technique of choice, phacoemulsification, which is not yet widely accessible in our low-income countries.

Audit of cataract surgery in Cadiz: visual outcomes and complications. / Auditoría de la cirugía de catarata senil en Cádiz: resultados visuales y complicaciones.

OBJECTIVE: To publish the outcomes and complications of age-related cataract surgery in Cadiz (Spain). Due to the lack of national audits, a comparison was made between the results obtained here and those of the most recent European audit, EUREQUO (2013), and the British audit RCOphth NOD (2015). METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal, before-after study of 312 patients undergoing cataract surgery in the University Hospitals of Puerta del Mar and Puerto Real (Cadiz), in 2013-14. Outcome measurements included sociodemographic characteristics, visual acuity (VA), symptoms secondary to cataract, ocular comorbidity, waiting time, expertise of surgeon (consultant vs. trainee), rate and type of surgical complications. RESULTS: The median age at surgery was 73.92±7.31. Almost all (98.3%) of patients at consultation had a VA ≥0.60logMAR, with a mean pre-surgical VA of 1.01logMAR (0.92-1.10). There was a 6.7% complication rate, with 3.8% posterior capsule ruptures and 2.8% corneal decompensations. No cases of endophthalmitis occurred. The mean post-operative VA was 0.28logMAR (0.22-0.33). More than three-quarters (78.8%) of cases achieved a post-operative VA ≤0.3logMAR, and 27.6% of cases achieved a VA ≤0.0logMAR. CONCLUSIONS: Our success rate was inferior to the EUREQUO and RCOphth NOD studies, with the percentage of patients acquiring a postoperative VA ≤0.3logMAR being 98% and 89%, respectively. However, the populations were not comparable. It is hoped that this study will encourage other public hospitals in Spain to undertake audits and share their results, in order to provide a tool for constructive criticism and quality improvement initiatives.

The evaluation of the risk factors for capsular complications in phacoemulsification.

PURPOSE: To determine and quantify the risk factors for disruption of lens capsule integrity during phacoemulsification. METHODS: The medical records of the patients who had undergone phacoemulsification cataract surgery and had a complication associated with lens capsule were reviewed. Consecutive cases were also reviewed in reverse chronological order as a control group. The exclusion criteria were pediatric cataracts, traumatic cataracts and lens dislocation. As a result, 403 uncomplicated and 83 complicated eyes were analyzed. The differences between the complication group and the group without complications regarding the risk factors were shown by employing the Chi-square test and Fischer's exact test. The variables having the level of significance (p < 0.25) after the Chi-square test and Fischer's exact test were enrolled into the multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Age (60-69/≤80) (p = 0.017), male gender (p = 0.006), pupil size ≤3 mm (p = <0.001), mature-brunescent cataract (p = <0.001), anterior chamber depth <2.5 mm (p = 0.001), posterior polar cataract (p = 0.006), diabetic retinopathy(p = <0.001), coronary artery disease (p = 0.098) and surgeon factor (junior resident/senior resident, p = 0.015; senior resident/specialist in ophthalmology, p = 0.026; junior resident/specialist in ophthalmology, p = 0.020) were among the factors significantly related to a capsule complication. An Excel program has been developed according to these results to predict the probability of capsule complication. CONCLUSIONS: Higher-risk cases can be predicted preoperatively, thus allowing surgeons to take appropriate precautions, better informing the patient and better selecting the cases especially for trainee surgeons.

The Malaysian Cataract Surgery Registry: risk Indicators for posterior capsular rupture.

AIM: To identify the risk indicators for posterior capsular rupture (PCR) in the Malaysian Cataract Surgery Registry (CSR). METHODS: Data from the web-based CSR were collected for cataract surgery performed from 2008 to 2013. Data was contributed by 36 Malaysian Ministry of Health public hospitals. Information on patient's age, ethnicity, cause of cataract, ocular and systemic comorbidity, type of cataract surgery performed, local anaesthesia and surgeon's status was noted. Combined procedures and type of hospital admission were recorded. PCR risk indicators were identified using logistic regression analysis to produce adjusted OR for the variables of interest. RESULTS: A total of 150 213 cataract operations were registered with an overall PCR rate of 3.2%. Risk indicators for PCR from multiple logistic regression were advancing age, male gender (95% CI 1.04 to 1.17; OR 1.11), pseudoexfoliation (95% CI 1.02 to 1.82; OR 1.36), phacomorphic lens (95% CI 1.25 to 3.06; OR 1.96), diabetes mellitus (95% CI 1.13 to 1.29; OR 1.20) and renal failure (95% CI 1.09 to 1.55; OR 1.30). Surgical PCR risk factors were combined vitreoretinal surgery (95% CI 2.29 to 3.63; OR 2.88) and less experienced cataract surgeons. Extracapsular cataract extraction (95% CI 0.76 to 0.91; OR 0.83) and kinetic anaesthesia were associated with lower PCR rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study was agreed with other studies for the risk factors of PCR with the exception of local anaesthesia given and type of cataract surgery. Better identification of high-risk patients for PCR decreases intraoperative complications and improves cataract surgical outcomes.

Risk of Posterior Capsule Rupture During Cataract Surgery in Eyes With Previous Intravitreal Injections.

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk of posterior capsular rupture (PCR) during cataract surgery in eyes with previous intravitreal injection (IVI). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: The Moorfields Patient Administrative System and OpenEyes electronic databases were used to study all cataract surgery procedures undertaken between January 1, 2012 and August 31, 2015 in the Moorfields main and satellite sites. Clinical data were anonymized and extracted, including prior occurrence and number of intravitreal injections. Logistic regression was performed with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test for goodness of fit to generate odds ratios for possible risk factors. RESULTS: In total, 62 994 cataract surgery procedures were undertaken over the study period, of which 1035 (1.64%) were in eyes with previous intravitreal injection(s). PCR occurred in 650 (1.04%) eyes. After logistic regression, prior intravitreal injection was associated with an increased risk of PCR (P = .037), with an odds ratio of 1.66. The number of prior injections, indication for injections, and service undertaking the surgery were not associated with increased risk of PCR (P > .1). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with previous IVI have a higher risk of PCR. This is not affected by number of previous injections, indication for injections, or the specialty undertaking the surgery.

Natural language processing to ascertain two key variables from operative reports in ophthalmology.

PURPOSE: Antibiotic prophylaxis is critical to ophthalmology and other surgical specialties. We performed natural language processing (NLP) of 743 838 operative notes recorded for 315 246 surgeries to ascertain two variables needed to study the comparative effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in cataract surgery. The first key variable was an exposure variable, intracameral antibiotic injection. The second was an intraoperative complication, posterior capsular rupture (PCR), which functioned as a potential confounder. To help other researchers use NLP in their settings, we describe our NLP protocol and lessons learned. METHODS: For each of the two variables, we used SAS Text Miner and other SAS text-processing modules with a training set of 10 000 (1.3%) operative notes to develop a lexicon. The lexica identified misspellings, abbreviations, and negations, and linked words into concepts (e.g. "antibiotic" linked with "injection"). We confirmed the NLP tools by iteratively obtaining random samples of 2000 (0.3%) notes, with replacement. RESULTS: The NLP tools identified approximately 60 000 intracameral antibiotic injections and 3500 cases of PCR. The positive and negative predictive values for intracameral antibiotic injection exceeded 99%. For the intraoperative complication, they exceeded 94%. CONCLUSION: NLP was a valid and feasible method for obtaining critical variables needed for a research study of surgical safety. These NLP tools were intended for use in the study sample. Use with external datasets or future datasets in our own setting would require further testing. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of the Posterior Capsule Rupture Rates Associated with Conventional (Start to Finish) Versus Reverse Methods of Teaching Phacoemulsification.

PURPOSE: Comparison of the rates of posterior capsule rupture (PCR) associated with conventional versus a reverse method of teaching phacoemulsification. METHODS: Trainees were taught conventional (start-to-finish) phacoemulsification beginning with an incision (tunnel construction) to capsulorhexis, sculpting, nucleus cracking, segment removal, cortex aspiration, intraocular lens implantation, and viscoelastic removal. In the reverse method, after incision and capsulorhexis, the trainees were progressively taught viscoelastic wash, cortex aspiration, segment removal, nucleus cracking, sculpting, and intraocular lens implantation. Trainees from a Tertiary Eye Care Centre were classified as beginners, for their first 30 cases and then trainees for their next 70 surgeries. Data were collected on posterior capsular rent and vitreous loss during each step of training. RESULTS: Thirty-two ophthalmic surgeons learning phacoemulsification surgery on 609 cataracts cases were supervised by 3 trainers. Fifteen beginners performed 287 surgeries using the conventional method, and 17 beginners performed 322 surgeries with the reverse method. The incidence of PCR was 18/287 (6.2%) with the conventional method and 15/322 (4.6%) with the reverse method (P = 0.38). PCR occurred during cortex aspiration (8/287, 2.8%) and segment removal (5/287, 1.7%) in the conventional method. PCR occurred during nucleus cracking, segment removal, and cortex aspiration (4/322 surgeries for each step, 1.2%). In the follow, 70 cases (trainees) there was no difference in PCR with either method (4.7% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.705). CONCLUSION: Conventional and reverse method for training phacoemulsification were both safe in a supervised setting.

Intraoperative Complications of Cataract Surgery in Tehran Province, Iran.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence and types of intraoperative complications of cataract surgery and examine potential risk factors. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2011 Iranian Cataract Surgery Survey in which information about cataract surgeries throughout the nation was collected. In the Province of Tehran, 55 centers and 1 week per season per center were randomly selected for sampling. In each center, the charts of all patients who underwent cataract surgery during the selected weeks (total of 20 weeks per center) were reviewed for data extraction. The prevalence of different types of intraoperative cataract surgery complications were determined, and their relationships with age, sex, surgical method, surgeon, and hospitalization time were examined. RESULTS: The prevalence of intraoperative complications of cataract surgery was 4.15% (95% confidence interval, 0.94 to 7.36). The prevalence of posterior capsular rupture with vitreous loss, posterior capsular rupture without vitreous loss, retrobulbar hemorrhage, suprachoroidal effusion/hemorrhage, intraocular lens drop, and nucleus drop was 2.86, 0.69, 0.06, 0.39, 0.03, and 0.11%, respectively. The prevalence of cataract surgery complications decreased from 6.95% in 2006 to 3.07% in 2010. The results of multiple logistic regression showed that surgery by residents, nonphacoemulsification methods of surgery, and patient age less than 10 years and more than 70 years were the risk factors for complications. CONCLUSIONS: This study evaluated the prevalence of intraoperative complications of cataract surgery for the first time in Tehran Province. The prevalence of complications was high in this study. To achieve the goals of the Vision 2020 Initiative and improve surgical quality, it is necessary to minimize complication rates. Factors to note for decreasing complication rates include type of surgery, surgeon experience, and patient age.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database Study of cataract surgery: report 2, relationships of axial length with ocular copathology, preoperative visual acuity, and posterior capsule rupture.

PURPOSE: To describe the relationships of axial length with ocular copathology, preoperative visual acuity, and posterior capsule rupture rates in patients undergoing cataract surgery.DesignThe Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database (NOD) study. METHODS: Anonymised data on 180 114 eyes from 127 685 patients undergoing cataract surgery between August 2006 and November 2010 were collected prospectively from 28 sites. Data parameters included: demographics, biometry, ocular copathology, visual acuity measurements, and surgical complications including posterior capsule rupture, or vitreous loss or both (PCR). RESULTS: Consultant surgeons performed a higher proportion of operations on eyes whose axial length were at the extremes. Glaucoma and age related macular degeneration were more common in eyes with shorter axial lengths, whilst previous vitrectomy was associated with longer axial lengths. Eyes with brunescent or white cataracts or amblyopia were more common at both axial length extremes. Preoperative visual acuities were similar for eyes with axial length measurements up to approximately 28 mm and worse for eyes with longer axial length measurements. PCR rates showed little change with axial length (overall mean 1.95%, 95% CI: 1.89 to 2.01%), except for a borderline increase in eyes with axial length <20.0 mm where rates were 3.6% (95% CI: 2.0 to 6.3%). The likelihood of PCR in eyes with axial length <20.0 mm was 1.88 times higher than those of ≥20.0 mm (P=0.0373). CONCLUSION: Rates of ocular comorbidities vary by axial length. PCR rates in eyes with very short or long axial lengths were lower than expected.

[The risk factors of posterior capsule rupture in phacoemulsification of cataract].

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the incidence of posterior capsule rupture during the phacoemulsification of cataract and the risk factors of the complication and to find ways to reduce the rate of the complication. METHODS: This retrospective chart review comprised cataract phacoemulsification performed from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 with a total of 3,004 cases (3,186 eyes). The incidence of posterior capsule rupture and the risk factors were the main outcomes. The variables of patient age and gender; laterality of surgical eye; pre-operative visual acuity and intraocular pressure; post-operative visual acuity; the nuclear stages, presence of diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, hypertension and other diseases; history of vitrectomy the surgeons were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Male (χ2=7.82, P<0.01), pre-operative visual acuity less than 20/200 (HR=2.3, P=0.01), and the nuclear stage higher than IV (χ2=18.01, P<0.01) all statistically significantly increased in the posterior capsule rupture group (χ2=14.13, P<0.01). The post-operative visual acuity increased in both groups (2.1±1.0) LogMAR to (1.2±0.8) LogMAR, t=7.71×10(-11), P<0.01 vs (1.5±0.8) LogMAR to (0.7±0.7) LogMAR, t=1.27×10(-42), P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Gender, pre-operative visual acuity, the nuclear stages are all significantly affect the incidence of the posterior capsule rupture. Improving training of surgeons should further reduce the frequency.

A 5-year audit of cataract surgery outcomes after posterior capsule rupture and risk factors affecting visual acuity.

PURPOSE: To describe the posterior capsule rupture rates and visual outcomes after phacoemulsification, analyze risk factors for poor vision, and compare results of faculty (F) and residents (R). DESIGN: Retrospective audit study. METHODS: Visual success of all capsule ruptures (2006-2010) was analyzed and compared to uneventful cases. Rupture rates of faculty and residents were compared (χ², P < .05). Success was defined as % best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥20/40 at 3 months (excluding poor-prognosis eyes) and studied in relation to age, sex, surgeon type, stage of surgery, vitreous loss, dropped nucleus, and other complications (eg, retinal detachment, corneal decompensation, dislocated intraocular lens [IOL]). Final risk factors were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2010, there were 887 capsule ruptures in 48 377 phacoemulsification cases (rate 1.8%). Uneventful cases had significantly better visual outcomes than capsule ruptures (98.5% vs 93.9%; P < .01). Faculty rupture rates were lower (F = 1.4%) than residents' (R = 3.4%; P < .01), but visual outcomes were similar (F = 93.8%, R = 93.7%; P > .05). Ruptures most frequently occurred during phacoemulsification (59.6%) and irrigation and aspiration (24.8%) stages. Risk factors for poor outcomes included age >65 years, dropped nuclei, and other complications. CONCLUSION: The overall capsule rupture rate was 1.8%. Although residents had higher rates, visual success matched faculty's, possibly attributable to case mix and close supervision. Associated risk factors for poor vision included age >65 years, dropped nuclei, and postoperative retinal, corneal, and IOL complications.