Eyes that undergo cataract surgery may be four times more likely to develop lower eyelid entropion compared with their fellow phakic eye, new research suggests.

The retrospective cohort study included approximately 14,600 patients who underwent their first cataract surgery at a single institution over a 10-year period. Participants’ fellow phakic eye served as the control. The investigators considered patient records up to the time the second eye underwent cataract surgery or any other intraocular or adnexal procedure. The study’s primary outcome was the rate of entropion repair in both the pseudophakic (exposed) subjects and the phakic controls.

The researchers noted surgical eyes had an increased risk of developing entropion at all study time points between one and 12 years. Additionally, entropion repair was performed roughly 58 months following cataract surgery. Entropion risk factors included patient or eye movement, eyelid squeezing, pain and anxiety.

These findings should increase clinician awareness of this risk in both the pre- and post-op assessment of individuals undergoing cataract surgery, the study authors suggested.