Purpose.To determine diabetic reti nopathy or maculopathy progression and visual outcome foll owing phacoemulsifica-tion in South -Asian and Afro-Caribbean patients with di-abetes.Methods.Review of notes of p atients with type II diabetes undergoing phacoemulsification by one surgeon.The inclusion criteria were :(a)South-Asian or Afro-Caribbean ethnicity,(b)-monocular cases with a minimum postoperative follow-up of 6months,and(c)binocular cases with an interval of at least 6mo nths between the operation in the two eyes.The nonoperated eye was used as control.The development or progression of diabetic retinopathy or maculopathy and final visual acuity were recorded.Results.In all,30diabetic patients were includ-ed.There were 19South-Asians(Pakistani,Indian,and Bangladeshi )and 11Afro-Caribbeans.The mean(±SD)age was 68.9(±10)years.Retinopathy or maculopathy progression was noted in seven patie nts(23.4%),two South-Asians,and five Afro-Caribbeans.There was no significant difference in the number of operated and fellow eyes whose retinopathy or maculopathy progressed postop-eratively.Progression of retinopathy or maculopathy oc-curred more often in Afro-Caribbean s compared to South-Asians(P=0.02,logistic regression analysis).The mean(±SD)postoperative follow-up was 12.4(±6.5)months.Visual acuity improved by at least two or more Snellen lines in 19eyes(63.3%);26eyes(86.7%)achieved a final visual acuity of at l east 6/12.Conclu-sions.Afro-Caribbeans may be at a hi gher risk of progres-sion of retinopathy or maculopathy a fter phacoemulsification. Purpose. To determine diabetic reti nopathy or maculopathy progression and visual outcome foll due phacoemulsifica tion in South-Asian and Afro-Caribbean patients with di-abetes. Methods. Pnients with type II diabetes undergoing phacoemulsification by one surgeon. The inclusion criteria were: (a) South-Asian or Afro-Caribbean ethnicity, (b) -monocular cases with a minimum postoperative follow-up of 6months, and (c) binocular cases with an interval of at least 6mo nths between the operation in the two eyes. nonoperated eye was used as control. the development or progression of diabetic retinopathy or maculopathy and final visual acuity were recorded. Results in all, 30 diabetic patients were includ- ed. There were 19 South-Asians (Pakistani, Indian , and Bangladeshi) and 11Afro-Caribbeans.The mean (± SD) age was 68.9 (± 10) years. Retinopathy or maculopathy progression was noted in seven patients (23.4%), two South- Asians, and five Afro- Caribbeans. There was no significant difference in t he number of operated and fellow eyes of retinopathy or maculopathy progressed postop-eratively. Progression of retinopathy or maculopathy oc-curred more often in Afro-Caribbean s compared to South-Asians (P = 0.02, logistic regression analysis). The mean (± SD) postoperative follow-up was 12.4 (± 6.5) months. Visual acuity improved by at least two or more Snellen lines in 19eyes (63.3%); 26yes (86.7%) achieved a final visual acuity of at l east 6/12. Conclu-sions. Afro-Caribbeans may be at hi gher risk of progres-sion of retinopathy or maculopathy a fter phacoemulsification.