Clinical Outcomes and Safety of Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery Performed Under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Case Series

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Sonuçları ve Güvenliği: Retrospektif Olgu SerisiObjective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and surgical safety of immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery performed under general anesthesia.The effectiveness and safety of operating on both eyes in the same session were specifically investigated in patients requiring general anesthesia.Material and Methods: This retrospective, single-center, non-comparative case series included 34 patients (68 eyes) who underwent immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery under general anesthesia between January 2018 and February 2025.All surgeries were performed by the same surgeon using strict aseptic separation protocols, including separate sterile instrument sets, separate irrigation solutions, and separate intraocular lenses for each eye.Demographic characteristics, accompanying systemic diseases, intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded.Surgical outcomes were evaluated based on best-corrected visual acuity and refractive results at postoperative 1 month.Visual and refractive success, as well as complication rates, were analyzed in detail. Results:The mean age of the patients was 60.6±17.8years.The intraoperative complication rate was 5.9%, with posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss (2.9%) being the most common complication.Postoperatively, wound leakage was observed in 2.9% of cases.No endophthalmitis or serious bilateral vision-threatening complication occurred.At postoperative 1 month, the mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.05±0.07logMAR, and the mean spherical equivalent was 0.02±0.80D. Conclusion: Immediately sequential bilateral cataract surgery performed under general anesthesia is a safe and effective procedure when appropriate patient selection and meticulous surgical separation protocols are applied.Performing both surgeries in a single session may improve patient comfort, reduce anesthesia-related risks, and provide satisfactory visual and refractive outcomes, particularly in patients requiring general anesthesia.