Intraoperative reverse pupillary block during femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery in a patient with phacomorphic angle closure

Intraoperative malignant glaucoma during femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: A case report

RATIONALE

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) has grown in popularity among ophthalmologists as a novel surgical technique. However, malignant glaucoma (MG) is a complication of FLACS. Herein, we report a case of MG following FLACS.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 66-year-old woman presented with complaints of blurred vision in the right eye and a foreign body sensation in both eyes. Ophthalmological examinations showed that the corrected distance visual acuity was 20/50 and 20/25 in the right and left eyes, respectively. Without any topical anti-glaucoma medication, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was 20 mmHg in the right eye and 17 mmHg in the left eye. Slit-lamp examination of the right eye revealed a transparent cornea with a defect in the punctate overlying epithelium; the central anterior chamber depth was shallow the peripheral iris laser shot was visible, the pupil was normal, and the lens was mainly cortical opacified.

DIAGNOSES

Based on the patient's symptoms, examination results, and preliminary diagnoses, age-related cataract in the right eye, binocular post-antiglaucoma surgery, pseudophakicin in the left eye, and Sjogren syndrome were included.

INTERVENTIONS

FLACS was performed to facilitate anterior capsulotomy and segmentation of the nucleus in the right eye. MG occurred after the femtosecond procedure, and with the treatment of medicines combined with phacoemulsification, IOP was eventually normal without further antiglaucoma therapy.

OUTCOMES

IOP was 16 mmHg on postoperative day 1. Ocular ultrasonography revealed no choroid detachment or hemorrhage in the right eye. Two weeks postoperatively, uncorrected visual acuity was 20/25, and IOP remained normal with no further antiglaucoma treatment on 1 month postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe the occurrence of MG after FLACS and illustrate that miosis and bubble formation after FLACS may be risk factors for MG during FLACS.

Association between Ocular Parameters and Intraocular Pressure Elevation during Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in Open-Angle Glaucoma and Nonglaucoma Individuals

In this study, we evaluate the association between biometrics and intraocular pressure (IOP) during femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) in normal patients and those with open-angle glaucoma (OAG). A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 103 patients who had received elective FLACS were enrolled, and those with OAG who received FLACS were further divided into a subgroup. The perioperative IOP of FLACS was measured before, during, and after the suction procedure. Demographic data and preoperative biometrics were collected from the medical records. The generalized linear model was applied to yield the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of each biometric for the IOP elevation in the whole group and the OAG subgroup. The mean preoperative IOP was 20.96 ± 4.79 mmHg, which rose to 55.37 ± 11.58 mmHg during suction, and decreased to 23.75 ± 6.42 mmHg after suction; the IOP both during and after suction was significantly higher than the presuction IOP (both p < 0.001). The mean IOP elevation was 34.41 ± 9.70 mmHg in the whole study population, and the difference in IOP elevation between OAG and nonglaucoma subgroups was not significant (p = 0.159). In the whole group, the presuction IOP, postdilated pupil size (PPS), and central corneal thickness (CCT) were positively corrected to higher IOP elevation (all p < 0.05), while axial length (AL) was negatively related to IOP elevation (aOR: 0.020, 95% CI: 0.008–0.699, p = 0.042). For the OAG subgroup, the longer AL was more significantly correlated to lower IOP elevation compared to those without glaucoma (aOR: 0.231, 95% CI: 0.106–0.502, p = 0.006). In conclusion, presuction IOP, PPS, and CCT are related to higher IOP during FLAC, while the AL is negatively correlated to the IOP elevation in FLACS, especially for patients with OAG. Reviewing these parameters before FLACS may enable physicians to find patients who are at risk of IOP elevation.

Phacoemulsification in vitrectomized eyes: Maintaining the stability of the anterior chamber via a new technique

Fluctuating anterior chamber depth and reverse pupillary block are the most common problems encountered during phacoemulsification following pars plana vitrectomy in cases of cataracts. The sudden deepening of the anterior chamber makes the surgical procedure more cumbersome and increases the risk of intraoperative complications. To solve this problem, we describe a method of balancing the pressure of the anterior and posterior chamber by using a syringe with a flushing needle to inject balanced salt solution into the posterior chamber via the gap between the iris and the anterior capsule of the lens. This technique is especially suitable for complicated cataracts following previous pars plana vitrectomy and high myopia-complicated cataracts. This technique yielded promising results in reducing the difficulties that occur during surgical procedures, reduced the risk of intraoperative complications and simplified the intraocular lens implantation.

Effect of femtosecond laser-assisted lens surgery on the optic nerve head and the macula

AIM

To evaluate the effect of femtosecond laser-assisted lens surgery (FLALS; cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange) on the structure of the optic nerve head and the macula.

METHODS

This prospective longitudinal study included healthy eyes undergoing FLALS. Eyes with glaucoma or any other ocular disease that could alter optical coherence tomography results were excluded. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), Bruch's membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) and macular thickness (MT) were measured preoperatively, 1 and 6mo after surgery using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Changes between preoperative and postoperative values were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 87 eyes of 46 patients were included in this study. Preoperative RNFL, BMO-MRW and MT in microns (µm) were 100.77±10.39, 330.31±49.99 and 276.30±33.39, respectively. Postoperative RNFL, BMO-MRW and MT were 104.74±11.55, 348.32±54.05 and 279.83±22.65 1mo after surgery and 102.93±11.17, 343.11±53.4 and 278.90±22.19 6mo after surgery, respectively; which equals an increase of 3.93%, 5.45% and 1.27%, respectively, 1mo after surgery, and 2.14%, 3.87% and 0.94% 6mo after surgery. The differences between the preoperative and the postoperative RNFL and BMO-MRW values were statistically significant (P<0.001). Regarding MT values, there were not statistically significant differences (P=0.26).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that FLALS does not have a negative impact on the structural status of the optic nerve head in healthy eyes, assessed by SD-OCT. There is a slight increase in the values of RNFL, BMO-MRW and MT 1mo and 6mo after surgery.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery--current status and future directions

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) putatively offers several advantages over conventional phacoemulsification. We review the current status of FLACS and discuss the evolution of femtosecond lasers in cataract surgery and the currently available femtosecond laser platforms. We summarize the outcomes of FLACS for corneal wound creation, limbal relaxing incisions, capsulotomy, and lens fragmentation. We discuss surgical planning, preoperative considerations, clinical experiences including the learning curve and postoperative outcomes with FLACS, and also the cost effectiveness of FLACS. We present the intraoperative complications and management of challenging cases where FLACS offers an advantage and also speculate on the future directions with FLACS. Further advancements in laser technology to refine its efficacy, advancement in intraocular lens design to harness the potential benefits of FLACS, and a reduction in cost are needed to establish a clear superiority over conventional phacoemulsification.