Persisting corneal oedema following intracapsular cataract extraction

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Cataract Surgery

Background:

• Intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE) can lead to complications.
• Persistent corneal edema is a known complication following cataract surgery.
• Penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) is a treatment for corneal edema.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of persistent corneal edema after ICCE.
• To compare the graft survival rate of PKP for post-ICCE edema versus primary Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 2455 eyes undergoing ICCE between 1986-1988.
• Analysis of medical records to identify cases of persistent corneal edema.
• Calculation of graft survival rates for PKP in affected patients.

Main Results:

• Persistent corneal edema occurred in 5.3% of patients post-ICCE.
• Corneal graft survival after PKP for post-ICCE edema was 54% at 2 years.
• A slowly progressive edema developed in 17% of post-ICCE PKP patients, similar to Fuchs' dystrophy (13%).

Conclusions:

• Persistent corneal edema affects 5.3% of patients following ICCE over 5-7 years.
• PKP graft survival for post-ICCE edema is 54% at 2 years.
• The outcomes suggest PKP for post-ICCE edema has a lower survival rate compared to primary Fuchs' dystrophy.