Purpose: To report three cases of massive pseudophakic macular edema occurring the day after uneventful cataract surgery and resolving in 24 to 72 hours.
Methods: Observational case series.
Results: A 68-year-old woman affected by systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome displayed massive macular edema on optical coherence tomography scan one day after uneventful cataract surgery. Routine postoperative topical eye drops (chloramphenicol/betamethasone 4 times a day and bromfenac 2 times a day) were continued without additional medications. Three days later, optical coherence tomography showed a completely recovered, normal fovea. Two similar cases were documented. A 73-year-old man and a 53-year-old man underwent cataract surgery and started the mentioned topical postoperative therapy. Severe macular edema was diagnosed the day after surgery and resolved in 24 and 48 hours, respectively.
Conclusion: Massive macular edema may occur immediately after uncomplicated cataract and then disappear within 1 to 3 days, without invasive therapies. This is a very significant event that may follow cataract surgery, and that was previously unreported.