Post-operative endophthalmitis after immediate sequential bilateral cataract Surgery: A retrospective study from Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of post-operative complications after immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the department of surgery/section of ophthalmology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of patients who underwent immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2018. A structured proforma was used to collect data. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of endophthalmitis. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 352 patients identified, data of 298(84.6%) patients (596 eyes) was analysed. The mean age of the sample was 33.14±25.83 years, with 117(39.26 %) subjects aged <16 years and 181(60.73) aged >16 years. Best-corrected visual acuity improved from -0.5650±8.2027 to -0.0043±4.05. Among 596 eyes, there was no case of unilateral or bilateral post-operative endophthalmitis at 6-week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery was found to be a safe procedure in selected patients undergoing cataract surgery in a low-middle income country.