[Long-term clinical course after cataract surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus].

PURPOSE: To determine the visual outcome at 5 years postoperatively in patients operated for cataract associated with diabetes mellitus.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study on a group of 41 eyes in patients with diabetes, who were operated for cataract (the same surgeon) by facoemulsification and IOL implantation in the capsular bag, without intraoperative complications, for 60 months (during 2003-2007).

RESULTS: 27 patients with diabetes were included in the study, the average duration of diabetes was 10, 3 years. Average postoperative visual acuity (VA) was 0.5 at six weeks postoperatively. Preoperative VA improvement was observed in 78%. There was a decrease in VA of 85% at more than 5 years after surgery and 15% of eyes had preserved VA. VA decrease was due to the occurrence, progression and worsening of retinopathy (69%) and diabetic maculopathy, posterior capsular opacification (34%), glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (12%).

CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity was maintained in 15% and decreased in 85% of patients due to diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration.