Changes In Corneal Endothelial Cell Density Research Articles

Changes in corneal endothelial cell density after trabeculectomy.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide for which trabeculectomy is the most effective surgical intervention for advanced disease. However, trabeculectomy has been associated with alterations to corneal endothelium, including a decrease in corneal endothelial cell density (CECD). The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in CECD after trabeculectomy, and identify factors contributing to cell loss, such as pre-operative biometry and lens status. This retrospective study included 72 eyes of 60 patients who underwent trabeculectomy between January 2018 and June 2021 at two private hospitals. Demographic and clinical data were obtained at baseline. Corneal specular microscopy was performed pre-operatively and at 6 months after surgery. CECD was evaluated and compared between groups to quantify changes to corneal endothelium and identify significant factors affecting decreases in cell density. Mean CECD was 2284.66 ± 375.59 pre-operatively and 2129.52 ± 401.96 after 6 months (p < 0.001). A greater decrease in CECD (p = 0.005) was observed in phakic eyes (235.45 ± 118.32) compared to pseudophakic eyes (137.82 ± 107.30). The amount of cell loss was negatively correlated with pre-operative central corneal thickness (p = 0.009) and anterior chamber (AC) depth (p = 0.033). There were no significant correlations between changes to CECD and patient age, gender, number of pre-operative glaucoma medications and number of post-operative antifibrotic agents. Significant decreases in CECD occurred after trabeculectomy. Less corneal endothelial cell loss occurred in pseudophakic eyes. Hence, if patients need trabeculectomy and cataract surgery, it may be better to perform cataract surgery first. Longer term studies should derive more information.

Corneal endothelial alterations in patients with diabetic macular edema

Background/Aim: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the main cause of visual loss in diabetic patients. Although it is known that diabetes mellitus could affect all corneal layers, there is no data about the morphological and quantitative changes of corneal endothelium in patients with DME. The aim of this study is to evaluate the corneal endothelial cell density (CD), morphology and central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with DME. Methods: This retrospective study included 47 diabetic patients (79 eyes) with DME, 48 diabetic patients (93 eyes) without DME, and 46 nondiabetic subjects (74 eyes). Diagnosis of DME was based on fundoscopy and optical coherence tomography imaging. The corneal endothelial structure and CCT were evaluated using non-contact specular microscopy. The endothelial CD (cells/mm2), coefficient variation of cell area (CV), percentage of hexagonality (HEX) and CCT of the three subgroups were compared. Results: The mean age of participants was 59.8 (8.3) years. There was no significant difference in terms of age between diabetic patients and control subjects (P=0.761). In the diabetic subgroups, HbA1c levels and the number of patients receiving insulin were similar (P=0.962, P=0.082, respectively), but the mean duration of diabetes was significantly longer in the DME subgroup than in the no-DME subgroup (P=0.015). Patients in the DME subgroup did not differ from the patients in the no-DME and control subgroups with regards to endothelial CD and CCT. However, there was a statistically significant decrease in HEX and increase in CV in patients with DME (P=0.012, P=0.012, respectively). Conclusion: Patients with DME were found to have higher rates of polymegathism and polymorphism although there were no significant changes in corneal endothelial CD and CCT. These alterations may be the first signs of early corneal damage in patients with DME.

Five-year follow-up of secondary iris-claw intraocular lens implantation for the treatment of aphakia: Anterior chamber versus retropupillary implantation.

BackgroundThough several procedures of IOL implantation have been described (sutured scleral fixation, intra-scleral fixation, angle-supported anterior chamber, and anterior chamber or retropupillary iris-claw IOLs), there are no randomized trials which are comparing different techniques. Hence, the surgical treatment of aphakia still remains controversial and challenging. The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term efficacy and the rate of complications of anterior versus posterior Iris-claw intraocular lenses (IOL) implantation to correct for the treatment of aphakia without sufficient capsule support.Methods and findingsConsecutive eyes having secondary implantation of aphakic iris-fixated IOLs with a follow-up of at least 5 years were considered. Mean correct distance visual acuity (CDVA) changes, percentage of eyes with CDVA improvement, mean corneal endothelial cell density (CECD) loss and the rate of other complications were used for statistical analysis. The study evaluated a total of 180 eyes (Group A: 87 anterior chamber iris-claw fixation, Group B: 93 retropupillary iris-claw implantation) of 180 consecutive different patients, with aphakia of various reasons. CDVA improved significantly in both groups after surgery (P<0.001, ANOVA), and was remarkably higher than baseline in both groups from first week and during the entire follow-up (P<0.001, Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference). There was no statistically significant difference in CDVA between the two groups during each follow-up visits (P = NS, unpaired t-test) and in the CDVA improvement percentage between the two groups (P = 0.882, Chi-square test). No significant changes in CECD were noted after surgery in both groups (ANOVA Group A: P = 0.067, Group B: P = 0.330P). No intra-operative complications occurred in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of complications between the two groups (P = NS, Chi-square test), except for pigment precipitates which were higher in Group A (P<0.05, Chi-square test).ConclusionsFive-year follow-up shows that secondary implantation of aphakic IOLs is effective and safe for the correction treatment of aphakia in eyes without capsule support.

Change in corneal endothelial cell density after phacoemulsification in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Objective:To compare the mean change in Corneal Endothelial cell Density (CED), from baseline (pre-operative value), two months after phacoemulsification cataract surgery between type II diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients.Methods:This prospective stratified controlled study was conducted at PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi. 80 eyes of 72 type II diabetic patients and 80 eyes of 77 non diabetic controls, having Nuclear Opalescence (NO) grades 2 and 3 on slit lamp examination underwent phacoemulsification surgery. CED was measured in cells/mm2, of concerned eye of each subject preoperatively and 2 months post operatively using specular microscope. The difference in mean CED change between the two groups after surgery was analyzed.Results:Mean age of study population was 61.41± 6.76 years. Out of study population, 92 (57.5%) were males and 68 (42.5%) were females. There was a statistically significant difference between both groups in terms of mean post-operative CED, mean change in CED and mean frequency change in CED (p <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in age, gender, laterality of eyes and mean pre-operative CED, (p >0.05). Difference of pre-operative CED from post-operative CED in each group was statistically significant.Conclusion:There is a significant difference between diabetic population and normal population in terms of corneal endothelial loss after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Effects of anterior chamber depth and axial length on corneal endothelial cell density after phacoemulsification.

Objective:To evaluate mean decrease in Corneal Endothelial cell Density (CED) after phacoemulsification in patients with different Anterior Chamber Depths (ACDs) and Axial Lengths (ALs).Methods:This prospective stratified controlled study was conducted at PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi. One hundred eyes of 90 patients, scheduled to undergo phacoemulsification surgery, were included. AL and ACD of each patient were calculated preoperatively using IOL Master. Cataracts were classified according toLens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) giving nuclear opalescence (NO) grades on slit lamp examination and only patients with grades NO2 and NO3 were included. Eyes were divided into two groups according to ACD and AL: Group-I: ACD 2.0mm – 3 mm and AL 22mm – 23.5mm; Group-II: ACD 3.1 mm -4.0 mm and AL 23.6mm – 25mm. CED measurements were done preoperatively and 2 month postoperatively using specular microscopy. The difference in CED change (Endothelial Cell Loss) between the two groups after surgery was analyzed using SPSS, v 22; IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY.Results:Differences in gender, laterality, age and preoperative CED between two groups were not significant. Difference in postoperative CED was also not significant, however difference in mean change and mean frequency change in CED between two groups was found to be statistically significant.Conclusion:ACD and AL affect the CED during phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens(IOL) implantation and can be considered as risk factors of peroperative endothelial cell loss.

Change in central corneal thickness, corneal endothelial cell density, anterior chamber depth and axial length after repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Objective:To compare the effects of Pars Plana Vitrectomy (PPV) and Scleral Buckling (SB) with reference to Central Corneal Thickness (CCT), Corneal Endothelial-Cell Density (CED), Anterior Chamber Depth (ACD) and Axial Length (AL) in repair of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment (RRD).Methods:This comparative cross sectional analytical study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO), Rawalpindi from July 2013 to July 2015. A total of 69 eyes of 69 patients which underwent repair of RRD by either PPV or SB were analyzed to compare mean change in CCT, CED, ACD and AL between two groups.Results:Mean age of patients was 56.23±5.22 years. Mean pre-operative CCT, CED, ACD and AL in PPV group was 533.06±13.28µm, 2231.67±164.57Cells/mm2, 3.37±0.18mm and 23.66±0.76mm respectively. Mean post-operative CCT, CED, ACD and AL in PPV group was 534.81±11.83µm, 2037.19±167.83 Cells/mm2, 3.24±0.13mm and 23.88±0.80mm respectively. Change in CED, ACD and AL from pre-operative value after PPV was statistically significant (p<0.001). Mean pre-operative CCT, CED, ACD and AL in SB group was 530.73±12.59 µm, 2161.79±161.96 Cells/mm2, 3.343±0.14mm and 23.67±0.82mm respectively. Mean post-operative CCT, CED, ACD and AL in SB group was 532.76±7.74 µm, 2158.27±156.58 Cells/mm2, 3.24±0.10mmand 25.71±0.86mm respectively. Change in ACD and AL from pre-operative value after SB was statistically significant (p<0.001). Mean change of CED, ACD and AL between two groups was also statistically significant (p<0.001).Conclusion:Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair causes ocular changes, with significantly more decrease in corneal endothelial cell density after pars plana vitrectomy, and more increase in anterior chamber depth and axial length after scleral buckling.