Sterile Caliper Anterior Chamber Decompression Mitigates Intraocular Pressure Spikes in Intravitreal Injections

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Innovation
• Intraocular Pressure Management

Background:

• Intravitreal injections (IVI) can cause significant spikes in intraocular pressure (IOP).
• Managing post-IVI IOP spikes is crucial for preventing ocular morbidity, especially in glaucoma patients.
• Existing methods for IOP reduction may be complex or less efficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel sterile caliper technique for anterior chamber (AC) decompression.
• To determine if this technique can reduce post-intravitreal injection (IVI) intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective interventional case series involving 50 eyes from 47 patients undergoing IVI.
• Patients were randomized to receive standard IVI or IVI with sterile caliper AC decompression.
• Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using Tonopen before and after the procedure.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed a significant IOP rise post-IVI (P < 0.0001).
• The intervention group (caliper decompression) had significantly lower postinjection IOP (23.52 ± 5.98 mm Hg) compared to the control group (44.08 ± 8.48 mm Hg).
• No patients in the intervention arm experienced IOP spikes >25 mm Hg.

Conclusions:

• Sterile caliper AC decompression is an effective method for significantly reducing post-IVI IOP spikes.
• This technique presents an efficient, cost-effective alternative for IOP management after IVI.
• Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore wider ophthalmic applications.