Ocular characteristics and outcomes of phacoemulsification in patients with cataract after renal transplantation

Purpose: To explore ocular characteristics of patients with cataracts after renal transplantation and analyze the results of phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Methods: Patients with cataracts after renal transplantation and control patients who underwent phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation were enrolled. All patients underwent phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, type of lens opacity, corneal endothelial cell density, and ocular biological parameters were evaluated before surgery. Visual prognosis, dry eye, and postoperative complications were monitored for 6 months after phacoemulsification.

Results: We analyzed 25 eyes of 16 patients after renal transplantation and 30 eyes of 21 control patients. The most common type of cataract of renal transplantation group was posterior subcapsular, while the most common type of cataract of control group was cortical. Significant differences in corneal astigmatism, white-to-white ratio, and keratometry values were observed between the groups. The postoperative visual acuity of both groups significantly improved following surgery. Postoperative complications, such as the degree of anterior and posterior capsule opacification and the incidence of a requirement of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser capsulotomy, were significantly lower in the renal transplantation group. Moreover, secondary glaucoma occurred in two eyes in the renal transplantation group.

Conclusion: This study showed that cataracts after renal transplantation were mostly posterior subcapsular. Postoperative visual acuity recovered well in most patients, with reduced incidence of postoperative complications. This study suggested that phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation was safe and effective, providing a reference for multi-focal IOL implantation in kidney transplant recipients.