Corneal endothelial changes 7 years after phacoemulsification cataract surgery correlated to initial increase in corneal thickness and endothelial cell loss

Session Details

Session Title: Cataract Surgery Outcomes/Practice Styles/Biometry

Session Date/Time: Monday 12/09/2016 | 14:00-16:00

Paper Time: 14:42

Venue: Auditorium C6

First Author: : B.Lundberg SWEDEN

Co Author(s): :    A. Behndig                    

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate long-term postoperative corneal changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery corresponding to corneal thickness day one and early corneal endothelial cell loss.

Setting:

Department of clinical Science/Ophthalmology, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden.

Methods:

Twenty patients that participated in a previous study regarding corneal endothelial changes up to 3 months after phacoemulsification cataract surgery were examined after 7 years. The patients were divided in three groups based on the increase in central corneal thickness day one after the surgery: <5% increase (group 1), 6% to 20% increase (group 2), and ≥20% increase (group 3). After 7 years, specular microscope endothelial photography of the cornea and Orbscan II slit-scan tomography were performed. The primary outcome measures were corneal endothelial cell loss (ECL) and endothelial morphology.

Results:

There was a correlation between corneal swelling at postoperative day one and ECL at 7 years. Furthermore a correlation between ECL at 3 months and 7 years was found. After 7 years, a difference in cell loss between the groups, except for 1 and 2 was observed. Endothelial cell count (ECC) was significantly different between group 1 and 3 at 3 months. At 7 years there was no difference in ECC between the 3 groups. A greater cell loss was found in group 1 between 3 months and 7 years. Endothelial cell morphology showed a similar pattern between the groups.

Conclusions:

After phacoemulsification cataract surgery the amount of early postoperative corneal swelling correlates with ECL after 7 years. However, long-term ECC and morphology appears to converge towards a comparable steady state, regardless of the initial operation trauma and ECL.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE