Cataract surgery outcomes in a Tertiary Hospital, Riyadh

Background: Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective surgeries, but irreversible blindness may occur as a complication. Also, the visual outcome of cataract surgery can be affected by preoperative patients' comorbidities. The aim of this study was to assess the visual outcome and identify the complications of cataract surgery. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. It included all patients who had undergone cataract surgery at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, from January 2014 to June 2014. All data variables were managed and analysed using SPSS software. Data security and confidentiality were ensured throughout all stages of the study process. Results: A total number of 421 cataract surgeries were reviewed. There were 219 (52%) males and 198 (48%) females. The patients' age ranged between 34 to 94 years with an average age of 66 ± 11 years. Among 421 eyes, 187 (46%) gained a visual acuity of 20/40 or better and another 119 (29%) had 20/50 - 20/80 after the surgery. Intraoperative or postoperative complications were presented in 20 (5%) patients. The main causes for rendering the eyes from achieving the visual acuity of 20/40 or better were diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Conclusion: Cataract removal is a safe and effective surgery which can improve the quality of life. It has some complications that can be minimised with good pre-operative evaluation and post-operative rehabilitation.