Pilot Study Outlines Cataract Surgery Protocol for Diabetes
A multicenter pilot study published in Clinical Ophthalmology evaluates a structured evaluation and care protocol for cataract surgery in patients with diabetes.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Diabetes
Researchers have published a pilot study of a cataract surgery evaluation and care protocol for patients with diabetes in Clinical Ophthalmology. The study enrolled 25 eyes of 25 patients across multiple centers and reported outcomes at 3 months after surgery.
Why it matters
Patients with diabetes who undergo cataract surgery can experience variable outcomes due to postoperative complications. Providing strict guidelines may help inform the decision to proceed with surgery.
The pilot study reported pseudophakic cystoid macular edema in 16% of eyes and new or recurring diabetic macular edema in 8% of eyes at 3 months, with a visual acuity efficacy index of 1.32. The small sample of 25 patients means these rates have not been validated in larger populations, and no comparison group was included.
The players
University of Melbourne
A public research university in Melbourne, Australia, whose researchers led the pilot study.
The details
The protocol required grading with the Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale and OCT screening to confirm stable retinal structure before surgery. Center-involving macular edema was treated with anti-VEGF injections followed by at least three months without treatment, and patients received post-surgery eye drops of NSAIDs, antibiotics and corticosteroids. The risk of diabetic macular edema was higher among previously treated patients and those with moderate to severe Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale scores.
Timeline
Outcomes were measured at 3 months after surgery.
Health Landscape
The protocol uses the Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale as a pre-surgical grading tool, extending its use from diagnosis into surgical planning. It addresses a documented complication, pseudophakic cystoid macular edema, that complicates cataract surgery in patients with diabetes.
Patients with diabetes facing cataract surgery may encounter postoperative macular swelling, and this protocol proposes screening and treatment steps to reduce that risk. The findings come from a 25-patient pilot, so they are not yet a basis for changing routine clinical practice.
The takeaway
Patients with diabetes considering cataract surgery should discuss retinal screening and postoperative monitoring with their eye care team. Protocols like this one may help guide those conversations as larger studies test their effectiveness.
Further reading
For more on the condition at the center of this study, see our Diabetes coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
