Evaluation of macular pigment optical density following femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery

• Published in: Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) Vol. 13; pp. 821 - 828
• Main Authors: Verdina, Tommaso, Date, Purva, Benatti, Caterina, Lazzerini, Andrea, Fornasari, Elisa, De Maria, Michele, Pellacani, Elena, Forlini, Matteo, Cavallini, Gian Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.05.2019; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: bimanual microincision cataract surgery (B-MICS); Cataract extraction; Cataracts; Comparative analysis; Eye surgery; femtosecond laser; femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS); Femtosecond lasers; flicker photometry; macular pigment; macular pigment optical density (MPOD); Ophthalmology; Original Research; Povidone; Surgery; Tomography; bimanual microincision cataract surgery (B-MICS); femtosecond laser; flicker photometry; macular pigment optical density (MPOD); macular pigment; femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS)
• ISSN: 1177-5467; 1177-5483; 1177-5483
• DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S196061

To evaluate macular pigment optical density (MPOD) after bimanual femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) compared to standard bimanual phacoemulsification (B-MICS). A prospective, case matched, comparative cohort study conducted at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy); 30 eyes underwent bimanual FLACS with low-energy Ziemer LDV Z8 (FLACS) and 30 underwent B-MICS standard technique (B-MICS). All interventions were conducted by the same expert surgeon. MPOD using the Macular Pigment Screener II (MPS II) was evaluated at baseline, 7 and 30 days after surgery. As secondary outcomes, we considered best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) obtained using optical coherence tomography. In all cases, a BunnyLens AF IOL was safely implanted in the capsular bag through a 1.4 mm incision. We found a significant reduction in MPOD in both groups at 7 and 30 days; 0.16±0.14 and 0.10±0.12 (FLACS) and 0.18±0.13 and 0.15±0.14 (B-MICS), respectively ( <0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups at either 7 ( =0.52) or 30 days ( =0.18). BCVA improved significantly in both groups and CMT increased in both groups ( <0.001, <0.001, respectively). BCVA and CMT were similar between the groups with a significant difference in CMT in favor of the FLACS group at 30 days ( =0.017). MPOD was reduced in both groups without any significant difference between the FLACS and B-MICS cataract interventions. FLACS is associated with a significantly higher increase of macular thickness at 30 days compared to B-MICS.