Arch Ophthalmol Chic
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Arch Ophthalmol Chic · Sep 1996
Comparative StudyPostoperative management of cataract surgery patients by ophthalmologists and optometrists.
To assess the frequency and content of post-operative examinations by ophthalmologists and optometrists for cataract surgery patients without operative complications and to assess the referral patterns of optometrists when complications are identified. ⋯ In 1992, a small percentage of ophthalmologists and optometrists were performing fewer follow-up examinations and tests for cataract patients than recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Not all optometrists immediately refer to an ophthalmologist any acute complication that they identify postoperatively.
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To assess possible causes of visual field loss following vitreous surgery. ⋯ Central or peripheral visual field loss can now be recognized as a possible complication of vitreous surgery. In some cases, a relative afferent pupillary defect and optic disc pallor are present, suggesting that the optic nerve is the site of injury. Possible mechanisms include ischemia due to elevated IOP or fluctuations in IOP, optic nerve damage from retrobulbar injection, direct intraoperative mechanical trauma to the optic nerve, indirect injury from vigorous suction near the optic nerve leading to shearing of peripapillary axons or vessels, or a combination of these. Certain optic nerves may be more susceptible to injury because of preexisting compromise from glaucoma or vascular disease.