[Increased intraocular pressure after cataract extraction--effect of surgical technique, surgical procedure and preventive drug administration. A prospective, randomized double-blind study]

Abstract

Background: We performed a double-masked, randomized and prospective study to compare the effect of surgical technique, surgeon's experience, and prophylactic medication on the intraocular pressure rise after cataract extraction.

Patients and methods: Intraocular pressure of 120 patients was measured the day before, as well as two to four, five to seven and 22 to 24 hours after uncomplicated cataract extraction. 47 patients were operated with phacoemulsification and sclerocorneal sutureless tunnel (phaco/tunnel). 61 patients with phacoemulsification and corneoscleral incision and suture (phaco/suture), and 12 patients with extracapsular technique (ECCE). 48 operations were done by inexperienced surgeons (less than 200 intraocular operations), 72 by experienced surgeons (300-2000 intraocular operations). Patients were treated with either levobunolol, acetazolamide, apraclonidine, or placebo. Each treatment group contained 30 patients.

Results: In all groups, the mean intraocular pressure increased to a maximum at five to seven hours after surgery. The pressure rise was significantly higher in the ECCE group (20.6 mm Hg) than in the phaco/suture group (10.5 mm Hg) and in the phaco/tunnel group (5.4 mm Hg, p always < 0.05). Eyes operated by inexperienced surgeons had a significantly (p < 0.005) greater pressure rise (12.9 mm Hg) than eyes operated by experienced surgeons (7.1 mm Hg). Treatment had no significant (p = 0.41) effect on the intraocular pressure rise.

Conclusion: The intraocular pressure rise after cataract extraction strongly depends on the surgical technique and to a lesser extent, on the surgeon's experience. At least for phacoemulsification, the effect of the prophylactic medication used in this study is small and appears to be clinically irrelevant.