Is the first post-operative day review necessary following uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery?

To assess the necessity for first post-operative day review in determining the need for post-operative intervention in patients who had uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery.

A retrospective study was carried out to review the first post-operative day findings in patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery by a single surgeon between January 1997 and March 1998. The findings analysed were wound integrity, corneal clarity, anterior chamber activity, intraocular pressure and the intraocular lens status. The need for medical or surgical intervention was also analysed. Those eyes that had coexisting ocular pathology such as glaucoma, ocular hypertension, uveitis, trauma or previous intraocular surgery were excluded from the study. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the difference between the groups.

Seventy-one eyes of 71 patients who underwent an uncomplicated phacoemulsification procedure were included in the study. Intraocular pressure of 30 mmHg or greater was found in 7 eyes (10%), all of which also had corneal oedema. These patients received acetazolamide SR 250 mg twice daily for 3 days. Another 21 eyes (30%) had corneal oedema for which no specific treatment was given. The intraocular pressure had returned to baseline and corneal oedema resolved by the first clinic follow-up in 1-2 weeks. None of the 71 patients needed surgical intervention in the post-operative period.

First post-operative day review is necessary as it gives an opportunity to manage the post-operative rise in intraocular pressure.