Intraocular pressure and foveal thickness after phacoemulsification.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the natural course of intraocular pressure (IOP) and foveal thickness during the postoperative period, and the correlation between them.


METHODS
Prospective observational case series.


METHODS
This institutional study comprised 30 eyes of 30 cataract patients scheduled for phacoemulsification. IOP and foveal thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were measured preoperatively and three, six, nine, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 hours, five days, one month, and two months postoperatively.


RESULTS
The IOP was 4.7 +/- 2.4 mm Hg at three hours postoperatively. The IOP increased to 23.4 +/- 8.1 mm Hg at six hours and 23.5 +/- 7.3 mm Hg at nine hours postoperatively. The IOP was 1.9 mm Hg lower at one month or two months postoperatively than preoperatively. The foveal thickness was 202.1 +/- 19.2 microm and significantly higher at three hours postoperatively, and was 182.3 +/- 20.5 microm, 183.2 +/- 22.3 microm, and significantly lower at nine and 12 hours postoperatively than preoperatively. The correlation between mean IOP and mean foveal thickness is statistically significant. Fovea thickness (microns) = 207.0476 - 1.019759 x IOP (mm Hg), P value < .0001, adjusted R(2) = .8699.


CONCLUSIONS
We found initial hypotony, an IOP spike during six to nine hours, and a decrease of IOP at one month and two months postoperatively. An initial increase of the foveal thickness, a significant reduction at nine hours and 12 hours, and an equivocal increase at one month or two months postoperatively were also noted. A significant negative correlation between IOP and foveal thickness was shown.
Lee
Yuan-Chieh
YC
Department of Ophthalmology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan. derrick@url.com.tw
Chung
Fang-Ling
FL
Chen
Chien-Chung
CC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence