Cystoid Macular Edema after Cataract Surgery in the United States: IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) Analysis

Purpose: To determine the incidence, risk factors, and visual outcomes of cystoid macular edema (CME) after cataract surgery in the United States. Design: Retrospective, longitudinal, case-control study. Participants: Patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Methods: The American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) was used to analyze patients who underwent cataract surgery between 2016 and 2019. Patients who received a diagnosis of CME within 90 days after cataract surgery were classified as cases, and the rest were classified as controls. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk factors associated with the development of CME as well as poor visual outcome (defined as a best-recorded visual acuity worse than 20/40 Snellen equivalent at postoperative month 12). Main Outcome Measures: Incidence, demographics, baseline characteristics, and visual outcomes. Results: Of 3.1 million cataract surgeries performed during the study period, CME was diagnosed in 25 595 eyes (0.8%), with an average onset of 6 weeks. Patients with CME were more likely to be male, to be aged < 65 years, to be Black, and to have preexisting diabetic retinopathy. Patients with CME were more likely to have a poor visual outcome (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.66–1.84; P < 0.001), with a mean best-recorded visual acuity of 20/30 at postoperative month 12 (compared with 20/25 for those without CME; P < 0.001). Other factors associated with a poor visual outcome included smoking, Medicaid insurance, non-White race, and baseline ocular comorbidities such as macular degeneration and retinal vein occlusion. Conclusions: Although the incidence of CME after cataract surgery is low and most eyes achieve a visual acuity of 20/40 or better, there are significant outcome disparities that warrant further exploration. Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.