Effect of cataract surgery on aqueous turnover and blood-aqueous barrier

Abstract

We evaluated changes in aqueous outflow and blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) disruption after cataract surgery in two randomly selected groups of eyes. In one group, a high-viscosity viscoelastic was used for intraocular lens (IOL) implantation; in the other, a low-viscosity viscoelastic. Fluorophotometry was used to evaluate aqueous humor dynamics five to seven hours after IOL implantation. Aqueous outflow after IOL implantation in operated eyes was nearly twice that in the fellow eyes, which served as controls. Mean protein concentration in the anterior chamber was also elevated in operated eyes. However, postoperative aqueous outflow did not differ significantly between the two groups. The substantial increase in aqueous outflow observed postoperatively and the increase in aqueous humor protein concentration were closely related to BAB disruption. These results suggest that BAB disruption may be a main cause of the transient high intraocular pressure observed after IOL implantation in both groups.

Posterior capsular opacification in diabetic and nondiabetic canine patients following cataract surgery

“…The fact that PCO increases with time suggests that the process of events in PCO formation progresses despite resolution of postsurgical inflammation. Therefore, although an increase in proteins and inflammatory cells can express cytokines that stimulate LECs that subsequently induce proliferation and migration, these proteins and inflammatory mediators peak shortly after surgery and subside within weeks postoperatively 54 . Wormstone suggested that the ability of the LECs to synthesize proteins required for survival and growth might be related to the nutrient‐deficient environment of the lens 43 .…”

Differential Effects of Transforming Growth Factor-β2 on Corneal Endothelial Cell Proliferation – A Role of Serum Factors

“…In many ocular pathological conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, in¯ammation, trauma and intraocular surgery (Jampel et al, 1992), the BOBs are compromised and the components of serum leak through the disrupted BOBs into aqueous humor. For instance, after cataract surgery, in¯ux from systemic circulation causes¯oating cells and proteins, the¯are, in the eye's anterior chamber (AC) through the increased permeability of the BOB (Kondo et al, 1995). Although breakdown of the BOB is a frequent pathophysiological event, knowledge of the effects of serum-derived factors in the AC is limited.…”

Hepatocyte Growth Factor Induces Proliferation of Lens Epithelial Cells through Activation of ERK1/2 and JNK/SAPK

“…However, these effects are short-lived. 4,5 Considering that, in most cases, PCO does not become clinically relevant until months or years after surgery 2 and that lens cells can survive, grow, and maintain metabolic activity in proteinfree medium for more than 100 days 6 (Wormstone IM, et al IOVS 2000;41:ARVO Abstract 510), the cytokines that are produced by the lens cells themselves are believed to play an important role in the development of PCO. Early studies have analyzed growth factors produced by LECs on human capsular bags in a protein-free medium, which has simulated autocrine conditions.…”