Comparison of Anterior Chamber Flare on 0 and 3 Days After Femtosecond Laser–Assisted Cataract Surgery and Conventional Phacoemulsification
Purpose
To describe for the first time anterior chamber flare, as an inflammation eye response to cataract surgery, on day 0 and day 3 after femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) compared to conventional phacoemulsification.
Methods
Randomized single blind clinical trial with group I : eyes undergoing FLACS and group II : conventional phacoemulsification, by the same surgeon and phacoemulsification system at Cochin-Hotel-Dieu Paris hospital. Measure of anterior chamber flare with laser flare photometry right after the surgery and on day 3, clinical evaluation of anterior segment and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with LogMAR scale on day 3, comparison of effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), evaluation of side effects. Statistic analysis is UNCOVA adjusted on EPT and time between end of surgery and laser-flare assessment. It is Mann-Whitney analysis for EPT and BCVA.
Results
Clinical descriptive parameters between group I (n=8) and group II (n=9) were not different. Assessed anterior chamber flare on day 0 in group I was 42,48 ph/ms, in group II was 33,14 ph/ms with p=0,17, on day 3 in group I flare was 20,93ph/ms and 22,43ph/ms in group II with p=0,79. BCVA on day 3 in group I was 0,0922 versus 0,0348 in group II with p=0,11. EPT in group I was 2,61 and 4,42 in group II with p=0,092.
Conclusion
There is no statistically significant difference between anterior chamber flare on day 0 and on day 3 with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery versus conventional phacoemulsification. Those results from a preliminary study need to be confirmed with bigger effective randomized trial.