Differences Between Angle Configurations in Different Body Positions by Ultrasound Biomicroscopy in Patients with Cortical Age-Related Cataract

PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in parameters related to angle configuration and lens position in patients with cortical age-related cataract by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in different body positions. METHODS: Prospective study with 55 patients with cortical age-related cataract proposed for phacoemulsification, examined using a Compact Touch STS UBM (Quantel Medical, France). UBM bag/balloon technology was applied to measure the central anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens vault (LV) in horizontal and vertical orientation in sitting and supine positions, angle opening distance (AOD500), trabecular iris angle (TIA) and iris lens angle (ILA) in four quadrants: superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in ACD between sitting and supine positions (p = 0.053); LV was significantly greater in the supine position (p < 0.001); AOD500 in superior and inferior quadrants were significantly longer in the sitting position (p = 0.001; p < 0.001); TIA in superior and inferior quadrants was significantly greater in the sitting position (p < 0.001; p < 0.001), and TIA(max-min) was significantly smaller in the sitting position (p = 0.001); ILA in temporal quadrant was significantly larger in the sitting position (p = 0.015) and ILA(max-min) was significantly smaller in the sitting position (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The anterior chamber angle was narrower and the lens was positioned more anteriorly in the supine than in the sitting position in cortical age-related cataract. Different positions may affect the angle configuration and the relative space of lens through different directions of mechanics and modes of action.