Background: Both Cataract and Diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the leading causes of blindness
worldwide, which is aggravated by the fact that diabetics have an increased risk of developing
cataracts. Bangladesh has a substantial burden of diabetic retinopathy disease and several health
system challenges that make the regular deployment of diabetic retinopathy screening services difficult.
Objective: The objective of the study is to find a co-relationship between cataract surgery and the
progression of diabetic retinopathy among patients in Dhaka.
Methods and materials: A case-control study of 36 type 2 diabetes patients who had cataract surgery
performed by a single consultant surgeon. Preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively, the
progression of diabetic retinopathy in the operated eye and the unoperated eye was evaluated.
Results: Individuals who had cataract surgery were 60±9.34 years old. At their preoperative
evaluation, 17 patients (47.2%) were getting oral hypoglycemic, and 12 patients (33.3%) were
receiving insulin. In contrast to the other 11 eyes, six of the operated eyes had PRP for proliferative
retinopathy before cataract surgery. At the time of surgery, high-risk non-proliferative retinopathy
(classified moderately severe or severe by ETDRS criteria) was discovered in 10 operated eyes and
eight fellow eyes. Patients with progressing retinopathy had higher mean HbA1C values than patients
whose retinopathy was stable Operative Eye (OE), p=0.001, None Operative Eye (NOE) p=0.000).
Age is also a factor where the progression of DR for cataract patients increased in both OE and NOE
(OE p=0.000, NOE p=0.003). In comparison, patients who required insulin substantially developed
retinopathy progression in both eyes postoperatively than the patients who did not require insulin
treatment (OE p=0.023, NOE p=0.027).
Conclusion: Any trauma like cataract operation DR as inflammation deteriorates vascular changes in
the retina. So strict control of DM as well as proper post-operative management to avoid Ocular
inflammation is crucial.