Ophthalmology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ophthalmology, including details on eye surgery, myopia, cataracts. | ||||||||
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Central corneal thickness changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery.Salvi SM, Soong TK, Kumar BV, Hawksworth NR Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom. drsachin@doctors.org.uk 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 microm preoperatively, 626.39 microm at 1 hour, 585.80 microm at 1 day, and 553.80 microm at 1 week. In the control group, CCT remained stable, within +/-2 microm 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. Published 30 July 2007 in J Cataract Refract Surg, 33(8): 1426-8.
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