title: Effect of phacoemulsification on intraocular pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of phacoemulsification on intraocular pressure in normal eyes and glaucomatous eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust, Eye and Cancer Hospital, Lahore, from September 2009 to August 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects were adult patients with cataract and open or occludable angle, with or without raised intraocular pressure, who underwent phacoemulsification. Patients having any corneal pathology, synecheal angle closure more than 180 degrees, inflammatory eye disease, previous ocular surgery including YAG iridotomy and endothelial cell density less than 1500/mm2 were excluded from the study. They were followed-up for one year. Outcome measures included intraocular pressure, angle width, visual acuity and number of antiglaucoma medicines. Results were compared using chi-square test for proportions and t-test for mean values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 50 (41%) males and 72 (59%) females with 80 (65.6%) right and 42 (34.4%) left eyes. Mean age was 56.4±8.57 years. Pre-operatively 52 patients had open angles while 70 patients had occludable angles. Postoperatively 96 patients had open angles and 26 patients had occludable angles. Mean pre-operative IOP was 25.70±7.79 mmHg, which was decreased to 17.44±2.8 mmHg (p < 0.001) at final follow-up visit. Number of mean antiglaucoma agents decreased from 1.12±1.30 pre-operatively to 0.62±0.92 at final follow-up visit. Mean pre-operative visual acuity was 0.4±0.19 that increased to 0.86±0.15.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phacoemulsification resulted in reduction in intraocular pressure in normal as well as glaucomatous eyes and it significantly reduced the need for anti-glaucoma medicines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust, Eye and Cancer Hospital, A-1 Township, Lahore. ahmadzeeshandr@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmad Zeeshan
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Jamil
authors.forename: Kashif
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Fawad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ur Rahman
authors.forename: Khurram Azam
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mirza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult