Changes in Macular Thickness after Cataract Surgery in Patients with Open Angle Glaucoma

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in IOP, total macular and RNFL, ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness, and aqueous humour flare in open angle glaucoma (OAG) patients before and 6 months after cataract surgery. Methods: This was a prospective observational case–control age- and gender-matched study. Groups: 40 subjects in a controlled OAG (OAGc) group, 20 subjects in an uncontrolled OAG (OAGu) group, and 60 control group subjects. Examination: complete ophthalmic evaluation, IOP measurement, anterior and posterior segment Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and laser flare photometry before and 6 months postoperatively. Results: Six months postoperatively IOP decreased in all groups. An increase in macular thickness was found postoperatively in all groups. Preoperative aqueous humour flare was higher in the OAGc group than in the control group. After cataract surgery, aqueous humour flare was higher in the control group compared to the preoperative result. Conclusions: Changes in IOP following cataract surgery were strongly negatively correlated with preoperative IOP. An increase in macular thickness was observed 6 months postoperatively in all groups. Aqueous humour flare did not differ in OAGc and OAGu groups pre- and postoperatively but significantly increased in the control group postoperatively.

Refining glaucoma diagnosis and treatment in cataract surgery candidates: contribution of preoperative OCT retinal nerve fiber layer

“…12,14 Furthermore, glaucoma incidence and OCT RNFL abnormality in cataract candidates have been previously established; Pakuliene et al observed that patients with glaucoma undergoing cataract surgery had lower mean OCT RNFL thickness compared with healthy participants. 24 Abdelmassih et al reported that 14.2% of candidates for cataract surgery had abnormal OCT RNFL findings, and interestingly, 30% of those cases had no history of glaucoma and no detected anomaly on fundus examination. 9 In our study, 16.7% of patients were suspected of having glaucoma based on abnormal OCT RNFL findings.…”

Early Postoperative Changes in Macular Choroidal Thickness After Uncomplicated Phacoemulsification in Patients With and Without Glaucoma: A Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Study

“…Additionally, Gudauskiene et al [ 39 ] found that both the SFCT and the foveal retinal thickness (FRT) increased after phacoemulsification in non-glaucomatous eyes, as measured by SS-OCT; however, the study did not establish a direct correlation between the increases in SFCT and FRT. Interestingly, a study by Pakuliene et al [ 44 ] investigated the late or chronic postoperative changes in the macula of non-glaucoma subjects and controlled and uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma patients using SS-OCT, six months after cataract surgery. The results indicated an increase in macular thickness across all groups.…”