Prevalence of Coexisting Systemic and Ocular Diseases among Cataract Surgery Patients: A Study in a Teaching Hospital in North East Malaysia

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence of coexisting systemic and ocular diseases among the cataract surgery patients in a teaching hospital in north east Malaysia. Method: in this retrospective study, the medical records of patients who were operated for cataract over a period of three years by a single surgeon in the teaching Hospital University Sains Malaysia were analyzed for the coexisting systemic and ocular diseases. Some patients were operated in both eyes. Results: Out of 218 patients who underwent cataract surgery, one or more systemic diseases were present in 113 patients (51.8%). The most common associated systemic disease was diabetes mellitus (24.3%), followed by hypertension (22.4%). A total of 324 eyes were operated in these patients. In addition to cataract, one or more ocular diseases were present in 129 eyes (39.8%). The most common ocular disease in cataract eyes was pterygium (9.8%), followed by diabetic retinopathy (9.5%).  Conclusion:  Ophthalmologist has to identify the coexisting systemic and ocular diseases present among cataract surgery patients. These diseases should be adequately controlled before surgery in order to avoid intraoperative and postoperative complications, and to achieve better quality of life for the patients.