[Intraocular pressure response after administration of 3 different viscoelastic agents after cataract operation]

By using three different viscoelastics [Adatocel (methylhydroxypropylcellulose), Amvisc Plus (sodium hyaluronate) and Healon (sodium hyaluronate)] a prospective randomized study was conducted to investigate whether postoperative intraocular pressure shows significant differences according to the viscoelastics used after 150 cases of cataract surgery.

The inclusion criteria for this study were: extracapsular cataract extraction via the usual small-incision techniques and endocapsular posterior-chamber lens implantation. A total of 150 eyes were operated upon. The patients were randomly assigned to three groups according to the viscoelastics, 50 cases used adatocel, 50 Amvisc Plus and 50 Healon. As far as possible, the viscoelastics were sucked out under visual control. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured after 6 and 24 h.

Six hours postoperatively, no statistically significant difference between the intraocular pressure after using different viscoelastics (adatocel: 19.6 +/- 9.7 mmHg, Amvisc Plus: 20.5 +/- 9.6 mmHg und Healon: 21.8 +/- 8.8 mmHg) was seen. At 24 h IOP was statistically significant higher for Healon than for adatocel and Amvisc Plus (adatocel: 16.3 +/- 4.8 mmHg, Amvisc Plus: 16.5 +/- 4.6 mmHg and Healon: 19.7 +/- 6.6 mmHg).

Six hours postoperatively after phacoemulsification there was no significant difference between the IOP using different viscoelastics adatocel, Amvisc Plus and Healon. Twenty-four hours postoperatively a significantly higher intraocular pressure was measured for Healon than for the other viscoelastics.