Corneal topographic changes after sutureless vitrectomy ‘insignificant,’ study finds

Corneal surface changes after pars plana vitrectomy using a 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless technique were “insignificant,” according to Turkish researchers.

A prospective, interventional case series by Ates Yanyali, MD, and colleagues in Istanbul evaluated topographic corneal changes in 32 eyes of 32 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery with a 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy system between August 2003 and September 2004. Mean patient age was 64.8 years; mean IOP was 17.1 mm Hg before surgery and 13.4 mm Hg postoperatively.

“As increasing numbers of patients obtain good postoperative vision after pars plana vitrectomy, possible induction of corneal astigmatism by the operation could be clinically important,” the authors said. “In the last few years, the 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy system and vitreoretinal surgical instruments have been developed, and successful results have been reported in a variety of vitreoretinal disorders.”

Videokeratography was performed preoperatively and at 1 day, 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. No significant changes were seen in average corneal power, corneal surface cylinder, surface asymmetry index and surface regularity index at any of the follow-up times.

“Our results reveal that corneal surface and astigmatic changes are minor in the early postoperative period after pars plana vitrectomy with the 25-gauge system,” Dr. Yanyali and colleagues said.

Further studies are needed to compare the postop corneal surface changes following 25-gauge and 20-gauge vitrectomy, the authors concluded.

The study is published in the November issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.