Risk Factors for Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome: A Retrospective Study

This retrospective study evaluated risk factors for intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) in 738 Caucasian patients undergoing phacoemulsification cataract surgery. IFIS was observed in 5.8% of cases. The study found that current use of α1-blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin, terazosin), benzodiazepines, and finasteride were independently associated with IFIS. Male sex and heart failure were not significant in multivariate analysis. The study highlighted a novel association between benzodiazepines and IFIS, suggesting that anxious patients should avoid benzodiazepines before surgery. It also confirmed previous reports of finasteride's independent effect and noted borderline associations with antipsychotic drugs and rivastigmine. The study concluded that caution is advised for patients using these medications, and future research should explore the effects of benzodiazepine use over time.