Korean J Ophthalmol.  2025 Feb;39(1):48-56. 10.3341/kjo.2024.0139.

Objective Changes in the Contralateral Eye after Unilateral Cataract Surgery

• Lee SH
• Kim KW
• Park IK
• Chun YS

• KMID: 2564131
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2024.0139

Abstract

Purpose
This study evaluated the objective changes in the contralateral eye after unilateral cataract surgery.
Methods
The study was designed as retrospective observational study. It included 44 patients who underwent unilateral cataract surgery. Collected data were uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, contrast sensitivity (CS), stereoacuity, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography parameters. Data were collected preoperatively, and 1 week and 1 month postoperatively for each eye.
Results
Following unilateral cataract surgery, the pupil size of the fellow eye decreased from 3.46 mm to 3.17 mm (postoperative week 1, p = 0.003) and 3.08 mm (postoperative month 1, p < 0.001). Anterior chamber depth of the fellow eye increased significantly from 3.16 mm to 3.27 mm (postoperative week 1, p = 0.005) and 3.26 mm (postoperative month 1, p = 0.001). Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of the fellow eye improved significantly at postoperative week 1 (p = 0.042) and postoperative month 1 (p = 0.044). Change of UDVA of the fellow eye at postoperative month 1 was significantly correlated with that of the treated eye (p = 0.039).
Conclusions
Anterior chamber structures changed and UDVA improved in the contralateral eye after unilateral cataract surgery in our cohort. Because fellow eyes were positively affected by monocular cataract surgery, it would be good information if planning for unilateral cataract surgery due to inevitable reasons.

Keyword

Anterior chamber; Anterior optical coherence tomography; Cataract surgery; Contralateral eye; Pupil size