Abstract
Purpose: To assess the necessity for first post-operative day review in determining the need for post-operative intervention in patients who had uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery.
Methods: A retrospective study was carried out to review the first post-operative day findings in patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery by a single surgeon between January 1997 and March 1998. The findings analysed were wound integrity, corneal clarity, anterior chamber activity, intraocular pressure and the intraocular lens status. The need for medical or surgical intervention was also analysed. Those eyes that had coexisting ocular pathology such as glaucoma, ocular hypertension, uveitis, trauma or previous intraocular surgery were excluded from the study. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the difference between the groups.
Results: Seventy-one eyes of 71 patients who underwent an uncomplicated phacoemulsification procedure were included in the study. Intraocular pressure of 30 mmHg or greater was found in 7 eyes (10%), all of which also had corneal oedema. These patients received acetazolamide SR 250 mg twice daily for 3 days. Another 21 eyes (30%) had corneal oedema for which no specific treatment was given. The intraocular pressure had returned to baseline and corneal oedema resolved by the first clinic follow-up in 1-2 weeks. None of the 71 patients needed surgical intervention in the post-operative period.
Conclusion: First post-operative day review is necessary as it gives an opportunity to manage the post-operative rise in intraocular pressure.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Tufail A, Foss AJE, Hamilton AMP . Is the first day postoperative review necessary after cataract extraction? Br J Ophthalmol 1995;79:646–8.
Powe NR, Schein OD, Gieser CS, Tielsch JM, Luthra R, Javitt J, et al. Synthesis of literature on visual acuity and complications following cataract extraction with intraocular implantation. Arch Ophthalmol 1994;112:239–52.
Francis PJ, Morris RJ . Postoperative iris prolapse following phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract surgery. Eye 1997;11:89–90.
Whitefield L, Crowston J, Little BC First day follow up for routine phacoemulsification? Br J Ophthalmol 1996;80:148–50.
Cohen VM, Demetria H, Jordan K, Lamb RJ, Vivian AJ . First day post-operative review following uncomplicated phacoemulsification. Eye 1998;12:634–6.
Borner TG, Lagreze WA, Funk J . Intraocular pressure rise after phacoemulsification with posterior chamber lens implantation: effect of prophylactic medication, wound closure and surgeon's experience. Br J Ophthalmol 1995;79:809–13.
Jurgens I, Matheu A, Casilla M . Ocular hypertension after cataract surgery: a comparison of three surgical techniques and two viscoelastics. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers 1997;28:30–6.
Gross JG, Meyer DR, Robin AL, Filar AA, Kelley JS . Increased intraocular pressure in the immediate postoperative period after extracapsular cataract extraction. Am J Ophthalmol 1988;105:466–9.
Zohdy GA, Rogers ZA, Lukaris A, Sells M, Roberts-Harry TJ . Comparison of the effectiveness of dorzolamide and acetazolamide in preventing post-operative intraocular pressure rise following phacoemulsification surgery. J R Coll Surg Edinb 1998;43:344–6.
Hayreh SS . Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. IV. Occurrence after cataract extraction. Arch Ophthalmol 1980;98:1410–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Presented as a poster at the annual congress of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Cardiff, May 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dinakaran, S., Desai, S. & Sunder Raj, P. Is the first post-operative day review necessary following uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery?. Eye 14, 364–366 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2000.89
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2000.89
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Remote follow-up after cataract surgery (CORE-RCT): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
BMC Ophthalmology (2023)
-
First postoperative day review after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery: Is it necessary?
BMC Research Notes (2012)
-
Heavier molecular weight ocular viscoelastic devices and timing of post-operative review following cataract surgery
BMC Ophthalmology (2007)
-
Postoperative IOP prophylaxis practice following uncomplicated cataract surgery: a UK-wide consultant survey
BMC Ophthalmology (2005)
-
Analyse der optisch wirksamen Parameter nach Kataraktoperation mit Faltlinsenimplantation
Der Ophthalmologe (2005)