Effect of cooled intraocular irrigating solution on the blood-aqueous barrier after cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of cooled intraocular irrigating solution during phacoemulsification on postoperative blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) disturbance.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Austria.

METHODS

In a prospective, randomized clinical study, 40 eyes with senile cataract had phacoemulsification with irrigating solutions cooled to approximately 10 degrees C (n = 20) or at room temperature (n = 20). Surgical procedure and postoperative therapy were otherwise identical in both groups. Postoperative BAB disturbance was assessed with the laser flare-cell meter on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28.

RESULTS

Anterior chamber flare was significantly lower in the group with cooled irrigating solution on postoperative day 1. There was no significant between-group difference in flare on any other postoperative day.

CONCLUSION

Cooled intraocular irrigating solution reduced immediate postoperative inflammation compared with irrigating solution at room temperature. However, this effect was of short duration.