Femtosecond laser-induced macular changes and anterior segment inflammation in cataract surgery

To compare femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery with standard phacoemulsification concerning the incidence of postoperative clinical or subclinical macular edema and the correlation between macular thickness and postoperative intraocular inflammation values.

One hundred four eyes of 104 patients were treated by laser-assisted cataract surgery and the fellow 104 eyes underwent phacoemulsification using pulsed ultrasound energy and intraocular lens implantation in this prospective randomized study. Laser flare photometry was measured preoperatively and at 2 hours, 3 to 4 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Retinal thickness was measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Two hundred two eyes (97%) were included and analyzed at 6 months postoperatively. The mean center thickness in the laser group was 210 ± 24 μm at 4 days postoperatively, 214 ± 22 μm at 1 month postoperatively, 219 ± 20 μm at 3 months postoperatively, and 215 ± 22 μm at 6 months postoperatively. The mean center thickness in the standard group was 211 ± 32 μm at 4 days postoperatively, 210 ± 34 μm at 1 month postoperatively, 217 ± 29 μm at 3 months postoperatively, and 209 ± 30 μm at 6 months postoperatively. Laser flare photometry showed higher levels in the standard group at the first postoperative visit 2 hours after surgery compared with the laser group.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery did not obviously influence the incidence of postoperative macular edema.