AIM: To analyze the accurate diagnosis of macular diseases by B-scan ultrasound with the help of SD-OCT which can provide the theory basis for prediction of visual function of postoperative cataract surgery.

METHODS: Posterior segment lesion of cataract patients can be primarily understood by B-scan ultrasound. OCT can be performed to further diagnose if there is abnormal echo in macular area.

RESULTS: A total of 178 cataract patients(217 eyes)who were suspected as macular diseases were examined by B-scan ultrasound and were scanned by OCT. A total of 213 eyes were diagnosed as maculopathy, including 70 eyes with wet age-related macular degeneration(AMD), 65 eyes with macular epiretinal membrane, 21 eyes with macular hole, 17 eyes with dry AMD and other 23 eyes with macular diseases. Results of frequency domain in 4 eyes showed that there were other lesions in the posterior pole in non-macular area. The fundus of 17 eyes can't be seen by OCT scan. These 17 eyes were diagnosed as maculopathy by SD-OCT of frequency domain after cataract operation.

CONCLUSION: B-scan ultrasound can be important detection tool to understand the posterior segment lesion since most cataract patients' ocular fundus are not clear. As B type ultrasound operation is simple, inexpensive and widely used for examination with a low degree of patients' cooperation and no influences from opacity of optical media, it is often used as routine examine method before cataract surgery. If B-scan ultrasound examination shows signs of macular diseases, SD-OCT will be taken. The results of these two methods are quite constant.