Retrospective analysis of the role of anterior segment optical coherence tomography and outcomes of cataract surgery in posterior polar cataract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visual and surgical outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with posterior polar cataract (PPC) and to evaluate the benefits of preoperative anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center study. Case records of patients diagnosed with PPC who underwent cataract surgery either by phacoemulsification or manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) from January to December 2019 were analyzed. Data collected include demographic details, preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), AS-OCT, type of cataract surgery, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and visual outcome at 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included in the study. Preoperative posterior capsular defect was noted on AS-OCT in 14 patients (14%). Seventy-eight underwent phacoemulsification and 22 underwent MSICS. Intraoperatively, posterior capsular rupture (PCR) was seen in 13 patients (13%) and cortex drop was noted in one among them (1%). Out of 13 PCRs, 12 were found to have posterior capsular dehiscence preoperatively in AS-OCT. The sensitivity of AS-OCT for detecting posterior capsule dehiscence was 92.3% and specificity was 97.7%. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 85.7% and 98.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of PCR between phacoemulsification and MSICS (P = 0.475). The mean BCVA at 1 month was found to be better with phacoemulsification than MSICS (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Preoperative AS-OCT has excellent specificity and negative predictive value in identifying posterior capsular dehiscence. It thus helps to plan the surgery and counsel patients appropriately. Both phacoemulsification and MSICS provide good visual outcome with similar complication rates.