Quantitative evaluation of corneal epithelial edema after cataract surgery using corneal densitometry: a prospective study

• Published in: BMC ophthalmology Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 334
• Main Authors: Ishikawa, Sho, Kato, Naoko, Takeuchi, Masaru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 20.12.2018; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anterior Eye Segment - diagnostic imaging; Cataract Extraction - adverse effects; Cataract surgery; Cataracts; Cornea; Corneal edema; Corneal Edema - diagnostic imaging; Corneal Opacity - diagnostic imaging; Densitometry; Densitometry - methods; Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological - instrumentation; Dimensional analysis; Edema; Eye surgery; Female; Humans; Iodine; Light; Male; Medical imaging; Microscopy; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Optical density; Prospective Studies; Stem cells; Surgery; Visual Acuity; Wound healing; Japan; Cataract surgery; Corneal edema; Densitometry
• ISSN: 1471-2415; 1471-2415
• DOI: 10.1186/s12886-018-0998-5

The optical density of the cornea can be evaluated quantitatively by "densitometry" using a rotating Scheimpflug camera. Densitometry allows evaluation of corneal opacity in the anterior segment of the eye by quantitative measurement of scattering light. In the present investigation, we evaluate quantitatively minimal subclinical corneal edema after cataract surgery using densitometry. Fifty four eyes of 34 patients who underwent cataract surgery were enrolled. Measurement of corneal density was performed using Pentacam® before and on days 1, 3 and 7 after surgery. Densitometry scores increased from 18.12 ± 1.76 before cataract surgery to 21.03 ± 3.84 on day 1 (P < 0.001) and 19.90 ± 2.46 on day 3 (P = 0.018), but recovered to 19.44 ± 1.58 on day 7 (P = 0.131). Total corneal thickness was 549.1 ± 32.7 μm before surgery and increased to 582.7 ± 46.3 μm on day 1 (P = 0.001), but recovered to 566.4 ± 29.7 μm on day 3 (P = 0.097). Densitometry reading correlated positively with corneal thickness (correlation coefficient = 0.13, P = 0.003). Densitometry is useful to detect corneal edema that is not detectable by slit-lamp examination.