EFFECT OF LUBRICANTS ON CORNEAL THICKNESS AFTER VITRECTOMY

This study examines the impact of corneal surface lubricants used during pars plana vitrectomy on corneal edema.

This prospective, observational, clinical study occurred at an academic institution. Participants were individuals aged 18 years and older who had already consented to undergo pars plana vitrectomy, without pre-existing corneal pathology. A corneal lubricant was chosen by the surgeon. Corneal thickness was measured preoperatively and postoperatively using pachymetry and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Main outcome measure was change in corneal thickness as measured by pachymetry.

Forty-one patients completed the study protocol. The 23 subjects in the SHCS group had a significantly smaller increase in corneal thickness as measured by pachymetry compared with the 18 subjects in the HPMC group (29.9 μm vs. 58.1 μm, P value 0.02). When measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography, the SHCS group had a smaller increase in corneal thickness compared with the HPMC group (0.04 mm vs. 0.06 mm, P value 0.09) but did not reach significance.

SHCS is associated with reduced postoperative increase in corneal pachymetry as compared to HPMC.