ABSTRACT
A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the effect of length of scleral tunnel incision on postoperative intraocular pressure(IOP)after sutureless phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in otherwise normal cataract patients. IOPs were measured preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 hour, 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months respectively. A total 130 patients(141eyes) completed 6 months follow-up period and were divided into group 1 (3.5mm group, 74 eyes of 69 patients)and group 2(6.0mm group, 67 eyes of 61 patients) according to the length of scleral tunnel incision. A mean preoperative IOP was 14.0mmHg and increase of IOP was noted to 3.1mmHg compared to preoperative value but decreased after 1 day and maintained up to 6 month postoperatively. At 6 months mean IOP was 12.7mmHg and IOP decrease of 1.3mmHg was noticed compared to preoperative value. There were no statistically significant differences in mean IOP between groups during follow-up periods (p<0.05). Number of cases with IOP rise over 22mmHg was 11(14.8%) in group 1 and 11 (6.4%) in group 2 at 6 hour postoperatively but reduced to 3(2.1%). At 6 months no case showed IOP over 22mmHg. This study revealed that the length of scleral tunnel incision did not affect the degree and frequency of postoperative IOP rise fter sutureless cataract surgery.