The relationship between preoperative anterior chamber parameters and postoperative refractive error in cataract surgery

Abstract

Purpose: Postoperative refraction has become important with improvements in cataract surgery. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effects of phacoemulsifi cation-intraocular lens (P-IOL) implantation on anterior chamber angle (ACA), anterior chamber volume (ACV), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and to assess relationship between these parameters and axial length (AL) and postoperative refractive error. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 231 patients who underwent P-IOL implantation between January 2012 and June 2014. Scheimpfl ug imaging system was used for the determination of ACA, ACV and ACD values at preoperative and postoperative month 3. Partial coherence laser interferometry was used for preoperative AL, target postoperative refractive error and IOL power calculated by SRK-T formula. Spherical equivalent (SE=spherical error plus cylindrical error /2) at postoperative month 3 was recorded. Postoperative refractive error was calculated as mean error (ME=postoperative refraction-target refraction) and mean absolute error (MAE=absolute of ME). Data obtained at preoperative period and postoperative month 3 were compared. Results: Preoperative ACA, ACV, ACD were 30,2 ±12,1°, 130,7 ±41,2 mm³, 2,6 ±0,4 mm while postoperative ACA, ACV, ACD were 42,7 ±5,8°, 172,1 ±28,2 mm³, 4,1 ±0,7 mm respectively. Anterior chamber parameters were increased after P-IOL implantation, as all differences being statistically signifi cant (p=0.001). No signifi cant correlation was found between ME and ACA, ACV, ACD, AL. Again, no signifi cant correlation was found between MAE and ACA, ACV, ACD. Only a weak correlation was found between MAE and AL. Conclusion: Anterior chamber parameters measurements after P-IOL are signifi cantly increased compared to preoperative values. There was no signifi cant correlation between preoperative ACA, ACV, ACD and AL, and postoperative refractive error.