Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment after Cataract or Refractive Lens Extraction

Preface
The whish for spectacle independence, low complication rates and the still improving intraocular lenses have increased the Mondial numbers of cataract extraction and refractive lens exchange. Surgery is done more frequently at a younger age. This has large implications for the posterior segment. We see an increased number of posterior vitreous detachments, disturbing floaters and rhegmatogenous retinal detachments after cataract and refractive lens surgery.
As a cataract and vitreoretinal surgeon, I see many colleagues struggle how to explain the increased rhegmatogenous retinal detachment risk after cataract surgery. From the literature and my more than twenty years of experience as a VR surgeon I made an inventory and summarized RRD risk percentages. With the help of an epidemiologist I tried to make an easy tool which can help surgeons explaining the RRD risk after cataract surgery to their patients.

Frank T Kerkhoff, MD PhD
ophthalmologist, anterior, posterior and refractive surgeon

Go to the Retinal Detachment Calculator

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