title: Natural course of intraocular pressure after cataract surgery with sodium chondroitin sulfate 4%-sodium hyaluronate 3% (Viscoat).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the natural course of intraocular pressure (IOP) and its peak after small-incision cataract surgery with chondroitin sulfate 4%-sodium hyaluronate 3% (Viscoat, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX).
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study comprised 40 eyes of 40 consecutive cataract patients scheduled for small-incision cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cataract surgery was performed with sodium chondroitin sulfate 4%-sodium hyaluronate 3% as the ophthalmic viscosurgical device, which was removed as completely as possible from the eye at the end of surgery. The IOP was measured preoperatively and 30 minutes; 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 20 to 24 hours; and 1 week postoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postoperative IOP increase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IOP increased significantly at all observation times during the first 20 to 24 hours, with a peak increase of 13.4+/-9.4 mmHg after 1 hour (P<0.05). In all, 28 eyes (70%) had an IOP spike to 30 mmHg or higher. Sixty-eight percent of these spikes occurred at 30 minutes as well as at 1 hour and 2 hours postoperatively. At 20 to 24 hours, no eye had an IOP spike to 30 mmHg or higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant IOP increases were found during the first 24 hours, peaking at 1 hour after surgery. With a single postoperative IOP measurement, between 30 minutes and 2 hours after surgery, two thirds of these IOP spikes could be detected. To detect all IOP spikes, a second measurement between 4 and 6 hours after surgery would be necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. georg.rainer@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menapace
authors.forename: Katharina Emanuela
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacu
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinze
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Findl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002807:Chondroitin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; C501944:chondroitin sulfate, sodium hyaluronate drug combination; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002807:Chondroitin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates