OCT Measurements Before and After Cataract Surgery. Correlation With Visual Acuity

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To perform OCT measurements in the presence of cataract and after uneventful cataract surgery and to examine their correlation with visual acuity. Methods: In this prospective study, 152 patients were evaluated before and 6 weeks after cataract surgery. Ophthalmological examinations included determination of best–corrected visual acuity (VA) and OCT2 examination (Humphrey–Carl Zeiss Inst.). After pupillary dilation, a map of retinal thickness was obtained using six radial tomograms centered on the fovea. The thickness of the central (1mm), inferior, nasal, superior and temporal (1–3.45 mm) areas was analyzed, as well as at the point of intersection and its standard deviation (SD), variables given by the print–out of the instrument. Results: We found a significant increase in retinal thickness in all areas (p<0.001) in the operated eye after surgery. The increase in thickness at the point of the intersection (fovea) showed a negative correlation with VA 6 weeks after surgery (r=–0.356; p<0.001) with 10% of these measurements increasing more than the mean+2SD of the values before surgery. Conclusions: OCT measurements of retinal thickness increase after uneventful cataract surgery. The increases in foveal thickness correlate negatively with visual acuity.

Keywords: imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • cataract • visual acuity