CATARACT SURGERY

INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE IN NON-GLAUCOMATOUS EYES WITH PSEUDO EXFOLIATION SYNDROME

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the course of intraocular pressure after cataract surgery in patients having
pseudo exfoliation syndrome but without any evidence of glaucoma. Design: Prospective age-matched comparative
type. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar and Military
Hospital, Rawalpindi. From 1 November 2003 to 30 April st th 2004. Patients and Methods: Ninety five patients having
cataract, were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of forty five patients with pseudo exfoliation syndrome and
Group II comprised control group of fifty patients not having pseudo exfoliation. All the patients underwent extracapsular
cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. The intra- ocular pressure was
measured pre-operatively as well as on 7th post-operative day, 1st and 3rd post-operative months, in addition to other
pre- and post-operative evaluation. Results: Statistically, there was no significant difference in the pre-operative
intraocular pressure between the two study groups. At 7th post-operative day, the intraocular pressure was below 18
mm of Hg in all the patients. First and 3rd month after the surgery, a decrease in intraocular pressure was observed.
The inter-group differences in intraocular pressures at 1st and 3rd post-operative months were statistically not significant.
Conclusion: Seven days after extra-capsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation,
no increase in intraocular pressure was observed in the eyes with pseudo exfoliation syndrome. Three months after
cataract surgery, intraocular pressure levels decreased in eyes with pseudo exfoliation syndrome similarly as in control
group.