Effect of phacoemulsification on intraocular pressure

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there is an effect of cataract surgery with phacoemulsification on IOP after one week of surgery. To investigate whether there is a correlation between Axial length (AL), Anterior chamber depth ACD, K-readings with preoperative (preop) and postoperative (postop) IOP. Methods: The subjects for this study were extracted from the records at the Eye department in Kalmar Hospital, Sweden. From an existing data file 72 eyes out of 72 subjects were then analysed. The subjects were divided into 4 groups based on the axial length of the eyes, for statistical analysis in Microsoft Excel and Statistica 6.0. Preoperative and postoperative IOP was evaluated to look for statistical significance. IOP was compared to AL, ACD and Kreadings to look for any correlations. Results: Preoperative IOP and postoperative IOP did not show any statistically significant difference after phacoemsulification, p > 0.05. There was no statistical significance or correlation for the axial length, ACD and K-readings compared to pre and post IOP, p > 0.05. Conclusion: There was no change in IOP before and after surgery. This study did not show any significance between the preoperative and postoperative mean IOP after cataract surgery. Axial length was not a factor to the intraocular pressure. There was neither any statistical significance nor correlation between the anterior chamber depth and K-readings in relation to IOP.