Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) with or without ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs)

Session Details

Session Title: Presented Poster Session 06: Femto Lasers 2

Session Date/Time: Saturday 13/09/2014 | 15:00-17:00

Paper Time: 16:00

Venue: Pod 3 (Poster Village)

First Author: : C.López-Caballero SPAIN

Co Author(s): :    L. Álvarez de Rementería   V. Blazquez   I. Contreras   J. Hurtado   B. Blanco Torcal   V. Carrillo

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To investigate the impact of the use of OVDS duringFLACS in postoperative visual acuity (VA) endothelial cell count and pachymetry

Setting:

Private Practise Clinic

Methods:

All patients undergoing FLACS during a 6 month study period were considered for inclusing in this study. Patients with any ocular pathology that might compromise visual acuity improvement after cataract surgery were excluded. After informed consent was obtained, patients were randomly assigned to undergo surgey with or without OVD. In the first group, OVD were used once the cortex was removed to fill the capsular bag prior to intraocular lens (IOL) insertion. In the second group, the IOL was inserted while keeping the capsular bag distended with an irrigation handpiece introduced thorugh the 1 mm paracentesis. All patiente underwent an extensive ophthalmic evaluation both prior and after surgery, including best-corrected VA, endothelial cell count and corneal apex pachymetry.

Results:

One hundred and two patients were included in group 1 (FLACS with OVD) and 98 patients in group 2 (FLACS without OVD). Best corrected visual acuity was very similar in both groups, both before and after surgery: preoperative (0.30 vs 0.32) ,the day after surgery (0.61 in both groups) , week (0.74 vs. 0.71) and one month after (0.83 in both groups ). Slight differences in endothelial cell count were found between both groups, although they were not statistically significant. Mean cell loss was of 236 cells/mm3 one week and 342 cells/mm3 one month after surgery in group 1 compared to of 119 cells/mm3 one week and 96 cells/mm3 one month after surgery in group 2. Corneal apex pachymetry was used as an objective surrogate marker of endothelial edema . At one week there was more edema in patients in which OVDs were not used. However,at the first month after surgery the corneal apex thickness increases about 60 microns more in those patients in whom OVDs were used.

Conclusions:

The use of OVDs during FLACS does not seem to have an effect on visual improvement. Avoinding the use of OVDs may decrease endothelial cell loss and be associated with less corneal edema after surgery.

Financial Interest:

NONE