Effects of cataract surgery on intraocular pressure in patients with pseudoexfoliation

Ahmet Yalçın, Effects of Cataract Surgery on Intraocular Pressure in Patients with Pseudoexfoliation. Specialty Thesis, Bolu, 2009. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) is a clinical entity characterized with accumulation of a grey-white, fibrogranular substance in the anterior segment. PXS affects all anterior segment tissues. The most important diagnostic criteria is appearance of the pseudoexfoliative substance on the lens and pupillary margins. This disease, which has different disturbance rates among races, causes glaucoma and ocular hypertension approximately in 20 % of cases. Medical, surgical and laser therapies are the treatment options for pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of cataract surgery on intraocular pressure (IOP) in pseudoexfoliative patients. Forty patients with pseudoexfoliation (PES group) and forty patients without pseudoexfoliation (Control group), who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery were included in the study. IOP of the patients were lower than 21 mmHg, and they had no glaucomatous visual field defect or optical disc changes. IOP of both groups were measured by the same person with noncontact tonometer before surgery and after surgery on postoperative 6th day and at first month, and the mean of the measures were recorded.Mean IOP of the PXS group before surgery was 14.68±3.51 mmHg (8-21). IOP of this group was 9.69±3.49 mmHg on postoperative 6th day, and 9.80±3.18 mmHg at postoperative 1st month.Mean IOP of the non-PXS group before surgery was 13.48±3.14 mmHg (8-21). IOP of this group was 10.38±3.46 mmHg on postoperative 6th day, and 10.60±3.24 mmHg at postoperative 1st month.Decrease in IOP after surgery was statistically significant compared to IOP values before surgery in both groups (p<0,01). Decrease in IOP was 33-34 % in PXS group, and 21-23 % in non-PXS group.Cataract surgery provides statistically significant decrease in IOP in patients with or without PXS (p<0.01). Reduction of the IOP can decrease the pseudoexfoliative glaucoma risk in PES patients in after cataract surgery.