Cataract surgery may achieve greater IOP reduction in particular patient groups

Issue: January 10, 2016

Phacoemulsification may have an increased IOP-lowering effect in older patients, women, and patients with short eyes, higher preoperative IOP, or glaucoma or pseudoexfoliation, according to a study.

The prospective database study analyzed 20,437 cataract extractions reported in the Swedish National Cataract Register to determine postoperative changes in IOP.

Overall, cataract surgery reduced mean IOP by 1.46 mm Hg (P < .001) at a mean follow-up of 37.7 ± 29.1 days postoperatively.

Eyes with higher preoperative IOP (P < .001), older patients (P < .001) and short eyes (P = .001) had greater IOP reductions. Women also had greater IOP reductions compared with men (P = .04)

When high IOP was an indication for surgery, postoperative IOP reduction was 5.5 mm Hg compared with a reduction of 1.4 mm Hg in patients without this indication (P < .001).

Patients diagnosed with glaucoma and pseudoexfoliation also had greater IOP reductions compared with patients without these diagnoses (P < .001). – by Kristie L. Kahl

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Zetterström C, et al. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2015;doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.12.054.