Intraocular drugs used in cataract surgery and their effect on the corneal endothelium.

Cataract surgery has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years largely because of developments in intraocular drugs and solutions, as well as intraocular mechanical devices used for removing cataracts. These include viscoelastic materials, intraocular miotics, intraocular irrigating solutions, and intraoperative mydriatics. It also involves attention to subtle details which may cause idiopathic postoperative corneal edema such as the avoidance of using surfactant cleaners or soaps on instruments that are used in the eye. The following discussion briefly outlines some of the intraocular drug issues of which cataract surgeons need to be aware.