[Corneal stromal layer changes of senile cataract patients with phacoemulsification in vivo]

To observe and investigate corneal stromal layer's changes of healthy elderly with phacoemulsification operation.

The experimental design was prospective, one replicated measurement, one interventional method case series. Analysis of central corneal stromal layer's changes (including corneal thickness, keratocyte density of anterior and posterior corneal stromal layer and morphological changes) of 19 patients (22 eyes) just before operation and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation with CMTF and NCSM. The statistical test method of the three parameter groups was least significant difference. The significant sterling was P <0.05.

(1) Corneal thickness: 1 week after operation, corneal thickness was significantly thicker than before operation as well as 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation (P < 0.05). Comparisons of the differences of other pairs of corneal thickness showed no significant differences (P> 0.05). (2) Keratocyte density: Keratocyte density in the posterior stromal before operation was (627 +/- 184)/mm2 and only the 1 month after operation group was significantly higher than before operation (P <0.05). Keratocyte density in the anterior stromal before operation was (859 +/- 137)/mm2. Comparisons of the differences of each pair of groups before and after operation showed no significant differences (P >0.05). (3) CMTF images displayed microfolds (4 eyes) in the middle and posterior stromal layers before operation. Different changes in stromal edema at an early stage after operation were observed within 3 months after operation, including different degrees of high-reflecting images and pathological microfolds (16 eyes). Keratocyte activation and fibroblast-like cells could also be found after operation.

Phacoemulsification can injure the corneal stromal layers. CMTF test is a useful method to reveal corneal pathological changes in four-dimension space (three-dimension space + time).