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PURPOSE: To quantify the breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) following phacoemulsification with posterior chamber lens implantation in eyes with Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis (FHU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 19 eyes of 19 patients with FHU (mean age 38 ± 14 years) and 35 eyes of 35 patients with senile cataracts (mean age 63 ± 9 years) underwent phacoemulsification with one-piece PMMA posterior chamber lens implantation. Aqueous flare was quantified using the laser flare-cell meter (LFCM, Kowa FC-1000) following medical pupillary dilation preoperatively and 1, 3, and 5 days, then 1 and 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Mean preoperative aqueous flare (in photon counts per millisecond) in FHU vs. controls was 11.7 ± 3.5 vs. 5.8 ± 1.7. Following cataract surgery, mean aqueous flare increased to 27.8 ± 4.4 vs. 16.0 ± 4.5 on day 1, decreased to 23.6 ± 4.0 vs. 11.8 ± 3.5 on day 3, and to 18.0 ± 3.0 vs. 9.5 ± 1.7 on day 5. In FHU eyes, it was 13.9 ± 2.7 after 1 week, and had returned to preoperative levels after 6 weeks (10.9 ± 2.5) and remained stable for up to 6 months (mean 10.3 ± 2.2). Pre- and postoperatively, aqueous flare values were 2-3 times higher in FHU eyes than in control eyes with senile cataract (p = 0.01). No postoperative complications such as fibrin formation, synechiae, macrophages on the intraocular lens optic or endophthalmitis were observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: BAB breakdown following phacoemulsification with posterior chamber lens implantation is relatively mild in eyes with FHU and the BAB appears to be fully reestablished to preoperative levels 6 weeks postoperatively, explaining the usually good outcome of cataract surgery in this condition.
Dr. N.X. Nguyen, Department of Ophthalmology and University Eye Hospital, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. nhung.nguyen@augen.imed.uni-erlangen.de
9.4.6 Glaucomas associated with inflammation, uveitis (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.4 Glaucomas associated with other ocular and systemic disorders)
12.12.3 Phacoemulsification (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.12 Cataract extraction)