A retrospective study found that patients with higher preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels had a much higher risk of developing cystoid macular edema (CME) after cataract surgery.
CME is the most common complication of cataract surgery that can threaten vision. Researchers analyzed data from the years 2010-2022 from the VA Health system. 6,808 patients were found to have developed CME within 6 months of cataract surgery. 121,164 patients did not develop CME following cataract surgery.
Post-operative CME was found in 5.3% of patients and researchers found a distinct correlation between A1c levels and the risk of CME developing. For patients with an A1c greater than 8.0%, the incidence of CME was 6.9%. Additional analysis found that patients undergoing cataract surgery who had diabetic retinopathy tripled the odds of developing postoperative CME.
