Evaluation of aqueous outflow facility in patients with high intraocular pressure after cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

To study whether patients with a marked elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) the day after cataract surgery may have a chronically impaired aqueous outflow.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

In 128 consecutive patients, IOP was measured both preoperatively and the day after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. In the late postoperative period, aqueous outflow facility (C-value) was measured with pneumatonography in patients (n = 7) who experienced a postoperative IOP increase of at least 20 mm Hg and in patients (n = 11) with a difference between preoperative and postoperative IOP of not more than 2 mm Hg.

RESULTS

Aqueous outflow facility was normal in both groups. Mean C-value was 0.32 +/- 0.18 microL/min/ mm Hg in the hypertensive group and 0.23 +/- 0.10 microL/ min/mm Hg in the normotensive group. The difference was not statistically significant (P = .20).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with marked IOP elevation the day after cataract surgery do not seem to have a chronically impaired aqueous outflow facility compared with normotensive patients.