Clinical application of a Scheimpflug system for lens density measurements in phacoemulsification
Received 27 December 2008; received in revised form 21 February 2009; accepted 23 February 2009.
Refers to erratum:
Errata
Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
August 2009 (Vol. 35, Issue 8, Page 1483) Full Text |
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Purpose
To evaluate the relationship between lens density measured using the Pentacam Scheimpflug system and phacodynamics (phacoemulsification time, phacoemulsification energy, and balanced salt solution [BSS] use) in patients with age-related nuclear cataract.
Setting
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Methods
This prospective observer-masked study was of eyes with age-related nuclear cataract. Objective lens density (0 to 100 points) was determined using the Scheimpflug system. Subjective grading was by the Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III). The correlations between lens density values and phacoemulsification time, phacoemulsification energy, and BSS use were analyzed prospectively.
Results
Fifty-three patients (60 eyes) were evaluated. The mean Scheimpflug-measured lens nuclear density was 14.71 ± 6.12 (SD). There was a positive linear correlation between the Scheimpflug-measured lens nuclear density and the LOCS III grading scores for nuclear opalescence (NO) and nuclear color (NC) (r = 0.734 and 0.719, respectively; both P<.05). The Scheimpflug-measured lens nuclear density correlated with torsional amplitude, time, and cumulated dissipated energy (CDE) (P<.05), but not with BSS use (P = .195). The CDE was more strongly correlated with Scheimpflug-measured lens nuclear density (r = 0.797) than with LOCS III NO or NC scores (r = 0.614 and r = 0.637, respectively).
Conclusions
Scheimpflug-measured lens nuclear density correlated with phacoemulsification time and energy. The Scheimpflug system enabled quantitative cataract grading and may help predict phacodynamics in cataract surgery.
From the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Kim, Chung, Joo), Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, and Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Joo), Korean Eye Tissue and Gene Bank Related to Blindness, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Corresponding author: Choun-Ki Joo, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, #505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
Jung-Sub Kim and So-Hyang Chung contributed equally to this work and should both be considered first authors.
No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
ABSTRACT