Efficacy of the intracamerally administered mydriatics for cataract surgery in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare Mydrane®, mydriatic eye drops, and Mydriasert® in terms of pupil site stability, surgical time, visual field, and anterior chamber configuration modifications among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) during cataract extraction surgery. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of sixty patients with POAG and cataract who underwent elective cataract extraction. All patients underwent routine ophthalmic examinations, including automatic visual field examination, anterior chamber configuration, specular microscopy, and arterial blood pressure measurement prior to surgery, and 24 h and 30 days postoperatively. All cataract surgeries were video-recorded and all measurements were performed using a media player. Patients divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 (n = 20 in each group) received topical mydriatic eye drops, Mydriasert®, and an intracameral injection of Mydrane®, respectively, immediately after the first incision. RESULTS: The mean change in pupil size from just before capsulorhexis to the end of surgery was 0.43 ± 0.09, 0.42 ± 0.08, and 0.36 ± 0.02 mm in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The mean surgery duration was similar among all the groups. The baseline main cell density slightly decreased at 24 h and remained stable for 30 days postoperatively. The mean deviation and pattern standard deviation remained stable at 1 month after surgery. At 24 h after surgery, the nasal irido-corneal angle, temporal-iridocorneal angle, and anterior chamber depth increased compared with the baseline, remaining stable for 30 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Mydrane® produced adequate and stable mydriasis as effectively as produced by Mydriasert® and topical eye drops.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography to Estimate Early Retinal Blood Flow Changes after Uncomplicated Cataract Surgery.

Background: To investigate macular microvascular changes after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery according to the cataract severity grade. Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional study involving 23 eyes of 23 patients who underwent elective cataract extraction. All patients underwent routine ophthalmologic examination, including optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) at baseline (preoperative visit, T0) and seven days postoperatively (T7). OCTA scans were obtained with the spectral domain system Cirrus 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA), and 3 mm × 3 mm raster fovea-centered scans were obtained to evaluate the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) vessel density, perfusion density, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters. Results: SCP perfusion density significantly increased from 28.3 ± 5.73% to 33.74 ± 4.13% after the surgery (p < 0.001). Similarly, SCP vessel density significantly increased from 15.14 ± 3.41 mm−1 to 18.14 ± 2.57 mm−1 after surgery (p < 0.001). The mean preoperative FAZ area significantly increased from 0.27 ± 0.12 mm to 0.24 ± 0.11 mm seven days postoperatively (p = 0.008). When comparing softer and harder cataracts, no significant variations in SCP vessel density, as well as SCP perfusion density parameters and the FAZ area, perimeter, and circularity index, were noted before and after surgery. Conclusions: Macular SPC vessel density and macular SCP perfusion density increase after uncomplicated cataract surgery regardless of the cataract severity.

Anterior Segment-Optical Coherence Tomography Bleb Morphology Comparison in Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery: XEN Gel Stent vs. PreserFlo MicroShunt.

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare the morphology of six-month follow-up blebs created by a subconjunctival glaucoma surgical device (XEN45) to those created by a PreserFlo MicroShunt with a sub-Tenon insertion, utilizing AS-OCT. Methods: A retrospective study of 29 eyes who underwent XEN45 implantation and 29 eyes who underwent PreserFlo MicroShunt implantation. The patients were analyzed at 24 h, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. At each visit, the maturation and morphological alterations of the blebs were observed, as well as connections with the IOP. Results: In both groups, IOP showed significant reduction at all follow ups (p < 0.0001). In XEN group, the most common bleb morphology in the immediate postoperative was the subconjuntival separation type (42%) followed by the uniform type (34%), with a trend inversion at 6 month follow up (51% of uniform type). On the contrary, the most common morphology after PreserFlo was the multiple internal layer (55%), which showed a tendency to reduce over time and was substituted by the microcystic multiform, whose percentage increased over time (17% at day 1 vs. 44% at month 6). Uniform appearance was associated by the posterior episcleral fluid (PEF) lake presence. Both horizontal and vertical diameters significantly increased over time. Conclusion: XEN and PreserFlo implantation resulted in the production of diffuse blebs with different characteristics, which may influence IOP lowering capacity and bleb revisions necessity over time.