title: Effect of cataract surgery on subfoveal choroidal and ganglion cell complex thicknesses measured by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the effect of cataract surgery on subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, as measured by enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography (OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 30 eyes of 30 patients who had undergone uneventful phacoemulsification surgery for senile cataract but had no previous ocular surgery or other ocular abnormality. Best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure, axial length, and central corneal thickness were measured preoperatively. The operative times (OTs) and effective phaco times were also recorded in each case. OCT measurements were performed at the preoperative visit and 1 month after cataract surgery. Study of CT and GCC thickness changes was the primary objective, but central macular thickness (CMT) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses were also obtained by OCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean subfoveal CT was 294.4±39.2 μm preoperatively and 301.4±39.9 μm postoperatively (P<0.001). The mean GCC thickness was 85.0±4.4 μm preoperatively and 89.2±5.3 μm postoperatively (P<0.001). The mean CMT was 247.9±17.6 μm preoperatively and 249.0±17.8 μm postoperatively (P=0.029). The mean RNFL thickness was 97.4±5.4 μm preoperatively and 101.7±5.6 μm postoperatively (P<0.001). Regression analysis showed that age, sex, axial length, central corneal thickness, operative time, and effective phaco time were not associated with CT changes (P=0.834,P=0.129,P=0.203,P=0.343,P=0.547, andP=0.147, respectively) and GCC thickness changes (P=0.645,P=0.542,P=0.152,P=0.664,P=0.448, andP=0.268, respectively) after cataract surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that all subfoveal CT, CMT, as well as RNFL and GCC thicknesses are slightly affected after uneventful phacoemulsification surgery. After cataract surgery, the examiners should consider obtaining new baseline measurements.
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University Medical Education and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University Medical Education and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakır
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University Medical Education and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif Betul
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University Medical Education and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University Medical Education and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gursoy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alagoz
keywords: cataract; choroidal thickness; ganglion cell complex