The Effect of Phacoemulsification with Oscillation Device on the Cornea and Lens Opcatiy

Gil, So Yeon; Kang, Seung Bum; Lee, Seung Hee; Chung, Sung Kun

Abstract

PURPOSE: To access the effect of phacoemulsification, using Neosonix(R) (Alcon Laboratories, TX, USA), on the cornea and lens opacity.
METHODS
This study involved 42 eyes of 37 patients who underwent phacoemulsification using the Neosonix from December 2005 through March 2006. We measured the density and the thickness of lenses using a Scheimpflug camera and evaluated the correlation between the density and the phaco time. To evaluate the effects of Neosonix(R) on the corneal endothelium, we measured various corneal endothelial cell parameters, including corneal endothelial cell density, corneal thickness, and morphologic changes up to two months postoperatively.
RESULTS
The preoperative mean values of lens density for the anterior cortex, nucleus, and posterior cortex were 105.86+/-34.99 CCT, 82.17+/-35.14 CCT, and 77.88+/-52.98 CCT, respectively. The mean phacoemulsification time was 48.67+/-29.79 seconds and increased significantly, according to the increase of the densities of the lens nucleus and cortex (p<0.01). Postoperative mean corneal endothelial cell density was 2741+/-474 cell/mm2 at one day, 2757+/-447 cell/mm2 at one month, and 2765+/-422 cell/mm2 at two months. Corneal endothelial cell loss was 4.39%, 3.83%, and 3.56% at one day, one month, and two months postoperatively, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative values of corneal endothelial cell density (p>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The phacoemulsification time using oscillation device significantly increased as the density of the lens cortex and nucleus increased, and there was no statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative values of corneal endothelial cell density.