Change in macular thickness after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery using optical coherence tomography in a tertiary care hospital

OBJECTIVES: To determine the change in macular thickness after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery using optical coherence tomography in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This study was conducted at Department of Ophthalmology Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, for 6 months from 10(th) Dec 2019 to 10(th) June 2020. Sample size calculation of 52 eyes was done by using open epi software. Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria that is age ranging from 50 to 75 years, either gender with senile cataract having no preexisting ocular or systemic disease and those giving consent were included in this study. Patients with any comorbidity ocular trauma, having pre-existing ocular diseases such as active ocular infection, glaucoma, maculopathy or retinopathy were excluded from study. Patients with secondary cataract also excluded from study. After complete history, all patients underwent detailed ophthalmologic examination and Pre-surgery macular thickness recorded by using swept source OCT (DRI-OCT-2 Triton; Topcon). Surgery was performed and intraocular lens was implanted in all cases. Post procedure Macular thickness was measured using swept source OCT at 1(st) postoperative day, 1st month and 6th month after surgery. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 62.06 ± 5.1 years. Total of 52 eyes diagnosed with senile cataract were included in this study. There were 30 (57.7%) males and 22(42.3%) females. The mean preoperative central foveal thickness was 201.3±24.8μm. The postoperative central foveal thickness was 200.3±25.2μm (153–265μm) at day 1(st) of surgery, 224.1 ± 53.8 μm (151–458 μm) at 1st month and 212.4±28.3μm (167–255μm) 6th month after surgery. The mean preoperative BCVA was 0.70 ± 0.43 (0.1–1.7) logMAR. The postoperative mean BCVA was 0.26 ± 0.42 (0.00–3.10) logMAR at 1st day, 0.07± 0.10 (0.000.7) logMAR at 1st month and 0.05 ± 0.10 (0.00–0.3) logMAR at 6th month. CONCLUSION: In our study we found an increase in macular thickness but there was no loss of BCVA from changes of macular thickness after surgery and the mean BCVA increased progressively in postoperative period.