High myopia has become a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. It is associated not only with a variety of fundus diseases but also with earlier onset and greater severity of cataracts, resulting in significant visual impairment. Phacoemulsification is currently the main surgical treatment for cataracts. However, intraoperative fluctuations in perfusion pressure and exposure to ultrasonic energy may affect the vitreoretinal structures, potentially accelerating the progression of fundus pathology after surgery in highly myopic eyes. This article summarizes current evidence on the progression of posterior scleral staphyloma, myopic maculopathy, and retinal detachment following phacoemulsification in highly myopic eyes.