Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness after Uncomplicated Phacoemulsification Surgery Using Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

Phacoemulsification is an invasive procedure that has become the most common intraocular surgery and usually improves the visual outcome. We aimed to evaluate the potential changes in the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) after cataract surgery, using Enhanced Depth Imaging OCT. The study was applied on 30 eyes of 30 patients with no medical or ocular disorder and no history of previous ocular surgery . 15 males and 15 females , divided into two groups : group A (15 eyes) – underwent cataract surgery without using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drop before surgery. group B (15 eyes) – will underwent cataract surgery with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drop 3 times ( one drop every 20 mins for hour ) just before surgery and screened to meet the inclusion criteria. Each patient was examined by EDI-OCT four times, one of them done in the day before surgery and three others after surgery in D7, M1 and M3. Our results confirm slight increases in macular thickness start 7 days after surgery and the lastest was one month after surgery. These changes in macular thickness eventually return normally near 3 months after surgery. There was no significant difference in B-group which administered NSAIDs before surgery. Uncomplicated phacoemulsification induces nonpathologic increases in retinal macular thickness probably due to the inflammatory insult of the surgery; however these changes are not accompanied by significant changes in choroidal thickness.