Clear-cornea cataract surgery: pupil size and shape changes, along with anterior chamber volume and depth changes. A Scheimpflug imaging study

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate, by high-precision digital analysis of data provided by Scheimpflug imaging, changes in pupil size and shape and anterior chamber (AC) parameters following cataract surgery.Patients and methodsThe study group (86 eyes, patient age 70.58±10.33 years) was subjected to cataract removal surgery with in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation (pseudophakic). A control group of 75 healthy eyes (patient age 51.14±16.27 years) was employed for comparison. Scheimpflug imaging (preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively) was employed to investigate central corneal thickness, AC depth, and AC volume. In addition, by digitally analyzing the black-and-white dotted line pupil edge marking in the Scheimpflug “large maps,” the horizontal and vertical pupil diameters were individually measured and the pupil eccentricity was calculated. The correlations between AC depth and pupil shape parameters versus patient age, as well as the postoperative AC and pupil size and shape changes, were investigated.ResultsCompared to preoperative measurements, AC depth and AC volume of the pseudophakic eyes increased by 0.99±0.46 mm (39%; P<0.001) and 43.57±24.59 mm3 (36%; P<0.001), respectively. Pupil size analysis showed that the horizontal pupil diameter was reduced by −0.27±0.22 mm (−9.7%; P=0.001) and the vertical pupil diameter was reduced by −0.32±0.24 mm (−11%; P<0.001). Pupil eccentricity was reduced by −39.56%; P<0.001.ConclusionCataract extraction surgery appears to affect pupil size and shape, possibly in correlation to AC depth increase. This novel investigation based on digital analysis of Scheimpflug imaging data suggests that the cataract postoperative photopic pupil is reduced and more circular. These changes appear to be more significant with increasing patient age.

Melanopsin‐mediated pupillary light reflex and sleep quality in patients with normal tension glaucoma

“…Patients with NTG had smaller BPD compared to healthy controls. We suppose it is most likely due to the fact that six patients with NTG had undergone phacoemulsification which is known to decrease the pupil size (Kanellopoulos & Asimellis ). Indeed, these six NTG patients had significantly smaller BPD when compared to control subjects, whereas the BPD of the NTG patients who had not received ocular surgery was similar in size to that of healthy subjects.…”

Effect of diabetic retinopathy and diabetes on the intraocular straylight in pseudophakic eyes

“…That is, pupil size was not taken into account in this study. Cataract extraction surgery is known to affect pupil size and centration [ 28 , 29 ]. However, none of our patients had any pupillary abnormalities and their pupils were within the normal size range after the cataract surgery.…”

Cataract surgery affects the pupil size and pupil constrictions, but not the late post‐illumination pupil response

“…The reported transient miotic effect of cataract surgery on short term is consistent with one previous study (Hayashi & Hayashi 2004). Yet, other studies have reported decreased pupil size up to 12 months after surgery (Komatsu et al 1997;Moller et al 2000;Kanellopoulos & Asimellis 2014). This may be caused by different levels of inflammation, as postoperative inflammation has been shown to vary similarly.…”