ArticleCentral corneal thickness changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgerySalvi, Sachin M. MRCOphth∗; Soong, Terrence K. MRCOphth; Kumar, Balakrishna V. FRCS Ed; Hawksworth, Nicholas R. FRCOphth Author Information From the Departments of Ophthalmology (Salvi, Soong, Kumar), Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, and Royal Glamorgan Hospital (Hawksworth), Llantrisant, United Kingdom ∗Corresponding author: Mr. Sachin M. Salvi, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, United Kingdom. E-mail: [email protected] Accepted for publication April 10, 2007. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Presented as a poster at the ASCRS Symposium on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery, San Diego, California, USA, April–May 2007. SymbolFirst author:Symbol: No Caption available.Sachin M. Salvi, MRCOphth Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery: August 2007 - Volume 33 - Issue 8 - p 1426-1428 doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2007.04.010 Buy Metrics Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate changes occurring in central corneal thickness (CCT) immediately after uneventful cataract surgery. METHODS: Thirteen consecutive patients who had uneventful phacoemulsification surgery by the same experienced surgeon were prospectively evaluated for CCT measurements 1 hour preoperatively and 1 hour, 1 day, and 1 week postoperatively. The unoperated eye also had CCT measurements simultaneously on all occasions and served as a control. All patients provided informed consent. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, UK RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 69 years. Central corneal thickness was 550.34 μm preoperatively, 626.39 μm at 1 hour, 585.80 μm at 1 day, and 553.80 μm at 1 week. In the control group, CCT remained stable, within ±2 μm of preoperative readings. CONCLUSIONS: Central corneal thickness increased by approximately 13.81% in the immediate postoperative period (at 1 hour). It remained increased by 6.44% on day 1 compared with preoperative values and gradually reduced to preoperative levels by the 1-week postoperative period (0.57% difference). Intraocular pressure (IOP) measured postoperatively in the first week may be falsely elevated to some extent because of the increased corneal thickness in the immediate postoperative period; thus, not all IOP rises have be treated in this period in healthy uncompromised eyes. © 2007 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
