Iatrogenic descemetorhexis as a complication of phacoemulsification

During clear corneal temporal phacoemulsification, an accidental iatrogenic descemetorhexis occurred. The entire cornea was hazy and edematous on the first postoperative day. By the 1-month postoperative review, the cornea had become clear with visible descemetorhexis margins; best corrected visual acuity was 20/25, and the pachymetry was 556 microm. The patient remained stable at the 2-years postoperative follow-up, and specular microscopy done at this time showed a cell density of 1301 cells/mm2 with evidence of pleomorphism and polymegethism. This is the first report of iatrogenic descemetorhexis in which the cornea had become clear and nonedematous by as early as 1 month postoperatively. This case highlights that a healthy endothelium can maintain corneal deturgescence despite a low endothelial cell count. Corneal thickness increases only when the number of endothelial cells has gone below a physiologic lower limit.