Effect of intracameral carbachol in phacoemulsification surgery on macular morphology and retinal vessel caliber

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of intracameral carbachol in phacoemulsification surgery on central macular thickness (CMT), total macular volume (TMV) and retinal vessel caliber (RVC).Materials and methods: In this prospective consecutive case series, 82 patients underwent uneventful phacoemulsification and in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation. Unlike patients in the control group (43 eyes), patients in the study group (42 eyes) were injected with intracameral 0.01% carbachol during surgery. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to analyze the parameters of CMT, TMV and RVC.Results: On the first postoperative day, mean CMT and TMV decreased markedly in the carbachol group, though these values did not change significantly in the control group. During follow-up visits, no statistically significant differences between the groups occurred regarding changes in mean CMT (p = 0.25, first day; p = 0.80, first week; p = 0.95, first month). However, change in mean TMV between groups on the first postoperative day was statistically significant (p = 0.01, first day; p = 0.96, first week; p = 0.68, first month). RVC values were similar on the preoperative and postoperative first days in both groups (p > 0.05).Discussion: Results suggest that the effect of intracameral carbachol on macular OCT is related to pharmacological effects, as well as optic events (e.g. miosis).Conclusion: Intracameral carbachol given during cataract surgery decreases macular thickness and volume in the early postoperative period but does not exert any gross effect on RVC.