TY - JOUR
T1 - Corneal involvement in uneventful cataract surgery
T2 - An in vivo confocal microscopy study
AU - De Cillà, Stefano
AU - Fogagnolo, Paolo
AU - Sacchi, Matteo
AU - Orzalesi, Nicola
AU - Carini, Elisa
AU - Ceresara, Gaia
AU - Rossetti, Luca
PY - 2014/1
Y1 - 2014/1
N2 - Purpose: To evaluate corneal subbasal layer changes after uneventful cataract surgery by means of in vivo confocal microscopy. Methods: This prospective study included 30 patients. Before surgery, and 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10 months after cataract surgery, all patients underwent a complete ophthalmological and confocal microscopy examination in the central and temporal corneal areas. Number of fibers, beading, tortuosity and reflectivity were analyzed. Results: Important changes were shown in the central cornea up to 3 months after surgery: a reduction in nerve fiber number (baseline: 4.4 ± 1.7; month 1: 1.2 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001; month 3: 2.5 ± 1.2, p < 0.005) and reflectivity (baseline: 3.6 ± 0.5; month 1: 1.4 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001; month 3: 1.9 ± 0.9, p < 0. 0001), and an increase in beading (baseline: 0.3 ± 0.5 beads/100 μm2; month 1: 2.7 ± 0.6 beads/100 μm2, p < 0.0001; month 3: 2.6 ± 0.5 beads/100 μm2, p < 0. 0001). The confocal parameters completely progressively recovered thereafter (60% at 6 months, 87% at 8 and 10 months). The temporal plexus was absent at 1 month and fully recovered in all patients at month 8. Conclusion: Uneventful cataract surgery induces relevant corneal modifications when inspected by means of confocal microscopy.
AB - Purpose: To evaluate corneal subbasal layer changes after uneventful cataract surgery by means of in vivo confocal microscopy. Methods: This prospective study included 30 patients. Before surgery, and 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10 months after cataract surgery, all patients underwent a complete ophthalmological and confocal microscopy examination in the central and temporal corneal areas. Number of fibers, beading, tortuosity and reflectivity were analyzed. Results: Important changes were shown in the central cornea up to 3 months after surgery: a reduction in nerve fiber number (baseline: 4.4 ± 1.7; month 1: 1.2 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001; month 3: 2.5 ± 1.2, p < 0.005) and reflectivity (baseline: 3.6 ± 0.5; month 1: 1.4 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001; month 3: 1.9 ± 0.9, p < 0. 0001), and an increase in beading (baseline: 0.3 ± 0.5 beads/100 μm2; month 1: 2.7 ± 0.6 beads/100 μm2, p < 0.0001; month 3: 2.6 ± 0.5 beads/100 μm2, p < 0. 0001). The confocal parameters completely progressively recovered thereafter (60% at 6 months, 87% at 8 and 10 months). The temporal plexus was absent at 1 month and fully recovered in all patients at month 8. Conclusion: Uneventful cataract surgery induces relevant corneal modifications when inspected by means of confocal microscopy.
KW - Cataract surgery
KW - Confocal microscopy
KW - Subbasal nerve fiber plexus
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84893130549
U2 - 10.1159/000355490
DO - 10.1159/000355490
M3 - Article
SN - 0030-3755
VL - 231
SP - 103
EP - 110
JO - Ophthalmologica
JF - Ophthalmologica
IS - 2
ER -