Results in cataract extraction after retinal detachment surgery.

Out of 58 eyes in which a cataract extraction followed a successful detachment operation, only 8, or 15.5%, developed a detachment of the retina after the cataract operation and, of these 8 eyes, 7 were cured with further retinal detachment operation. Thus, in 58 healed detachment eyes, only 1 (1.7%) lost useful vision because of incurable retinal detachment following cataract extraction. Therefore, one may conclude that, in a patient definitely handicapped by poor vision due to a cataract in an eye with a healed retinal detachment, extraction of this cataract is justified and carries a good prognosis.