title: Corneal endothelial cell loss and corneal thickness in conventional compared with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: three-month follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify changes in endothelial cell counts and corneal thickness measurements in patients having standard phacoemulsification compared with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ruhr University Eye Clinic, Bochum, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized intraindividual cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One eye of each patient had standard phacoemulsification (control group) and the other eye had femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification (study group), both with intraocular lens implantation. Pulsed ultrasound energy was used for phacoemulsification. Noncontact endothelial cell microscopy and corneal pachymetry were performed preoperatively and 1 day, 3 to 4 days, 7 to 10 days, 50 to 60 days, and 90 to 100 days postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean endothelial cell loss was 7.9% ± 7.8% (SD) 1 week postoperatively and 8.1% ± 8.1% 3 months postoperatively in the study group and 12.1% ± 7.3% and 13.7% ± 8.4%, respectively, in the control group. The mean relative change in corneal thickness from the preoperative values was -0.0% ± 1.9% at 1 day, 2.8% ± 1.8% at 1 week, and 3.3% ± 1.7% at 3 months in the study group and -0.9% ± 2.3%, 2.4% ± 1.5%, and 3.2% ± 1.4%, respectively, in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The femtosecond laser did not add to the endothelial damage caused by cataract surgery and might be beneficial in eyes with low preoperative endothelial cell values (eg, cornea guttata cases).
authors.affiliation: Ruhr University Eye Clinic, Bochum, Germany. mail@augenarzt-trebur.de
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Conrad-Hengerer
authors.forename: Mayss
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Juburi
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Fritz H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Hengerer
authors.forename: H Burkhard
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Dick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002452:Cell Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D055954:Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors