pH changes of the tear fluid in the conjunctival sac during postoperative inflammation of the human eye.
Conjunctival fluid pH was measured pre- and post-operatively in 16 patients suffering from senile cataract. We found a significant increase (P less than 0.05) from 7.26 +/- 0.23 (mean +/- SD) on the day before operation to 7.50 +/- 0.23 (mean +/- SD) on the first post-operative day in the conjunctival fluid of the treated eye. Thereafter a gradual decrease towards pre-operative level was observed. These changes were not observed in the healthy fellow eye (P greater than 0.05). No significant pre-operative difference was shown between the two eyes. It is reasonable to assume that the composition of the transudate/exudate from the conjunctival vessels might be responsible for the changes observed.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013666:Tears / Q000032:analysis*