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[How reproducible and stable is intraocular pressure reduction after extracapsular cataract extraction?]
Background:
Extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of a posterior chamber lens (ECCE+PCL) lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) in most eyes. However it is believed that this effect vanishes with time.
Patients And Methods:
We measured IOP by Goldmann applanation tonometry in both eyes of 100 consecutive patients who were either bilaterally phakic, unilaterally pseudophakic or bilaterally pseudophakic. The posterior capsule was intact in all pseudophakic eyes and none of the eyes suffered from glaucoma.
Results:
Median IOP was 12 mmHg for pseudophakic and 14 mm Hg for phacic eyes (p < 0.0001). The median ratio of IOPpseudophakic/IOPphakic (0.82) in unilaterally pseudophakics was significantly lower than the median ratio of IOP1. pseudophakic eye/IOP2. pseudophakic eye (1.02) in bilaterally pseudophakics (p < 0.0001). The ratio in bilaterally pseudophakic subjects was independent of the time passed since ECCE+PCL. The distribution of the ratio of IOPs was similar for the group of bilaterally pseudophakics and bilaterally phakics.
Conclusion:
We conclude that the amount of lowering of IOP induced by ECCE+PCL is characteristic for each patient. It is well reproducible, when the second eye is operated. The lowering of IOP does not fade with time but is stable. Possibly ECCE+PCL lowers the risk to develop glaucomatous optic nerve damage permanently.