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A four‐year prospective study on intraocular pressure in relation to phacoemulsification cataract surgery
Author(s) -
Falck Aura,
Hautala Nina,
Turunen Nina,
Airaksinen Pentti Juhani
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.01790.x
Subject(s) - medicine , phacoemulsification , morning , intraocular pressure , cataract surgery , ophthalmology , prospective cohort study , surgery , visual acuity
Abstract. Aim of study: To follow up prospectively the intraocular pressure (IOP) of healthy eyes with senile cataract undergoing phacoemulsification surgery over a duration of 4 years. Patients and methods: Thirty‐five patients entering first eye cataract surgery had IOP measured by applanation tonometry pre‐operatively and on day 1, at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 4 years after surgery at 9 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. in the Department of Ophthalmology, Oulu University Hospital. Thirty‐four patients attended the 1‐year checkup, and the 2‐ and 4‐year results are available for 31. Results: The pre‐operative IOP was 16.0 (SD 4.3, range 6–25) mmHg in the morning and 16.4 (SD 4.0, range 8–25.5) mmHg in the afternoon. On the first postoperative day, the IOP was 2.1 ± 5.6 mmHg higher than before surgery (p = 0.029). At 1 month, the IOP morning measurement had decreased 2.8 ± 3.6 mmHg, and in the afternoon, the decrease was 3.0 ± 2.7 mmHg from the pre‐operative level. At 6 months, the decrease was 3.3 ± 2.7 mmHg in the morning and 3.6 ± 2.7 mmHg in the afternoon, at 1 year, 3.2 ± 3.0 mmHg and 3.5 ± 3.2 mmHg, at 2 years, 3.2 ± 2.4 mmHg and 3.1 ± 2.8 mmHg, and at the 4‐year postoperative checkup, 3.6 ± 3.4 mmHg and 3.6 ± 2.7 mmHg, respectively (p = 0.000 for all time‐points). Conclusions: IOP decreases by about 3 mmHg (16–23% from the pre‐operative IOP level) after phacoemulsification and remains at this reduced level with no trend towards an increase during 4 years.