COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF 4 VISCOELASTIC AGENTS ON EARLY POSTOPERATIVE INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE

Purpose: To compare the effect of four commercially available viscoela stic agents on postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP). Setting: Four outpatient sites. Methods: Sixty-nine patients having routine extraca psular cataract extraction were enrolled in the study; 54 were availab le for a 3 month follow-up examination. The four viscoelastic agents w ere Amvisce(R), Amvisc(R) Plus, Healon(R), and Viscoats(R). intraocula r pressure was measured preoperatively and at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 , and 24 hours and 3 months postoperatively. Pachymetry and endothelia l cell counts were performed preoperatively and 3 months postoperative ly. Results: Mean postoperative IOP and IOP changes from baseline did not differ among the four treatment groups at any time. However, when mean maximal IOP was compared, the Healon group demonstrated the highe st IOP increases (P =.0033). There was also a significant difference ( P =.0015) among treatment groups in the mean maximum postoperative cha nge from baseline; the Healon group exhibited the largest mean change in IOP. At 3 months postoperatively, IOP values and pachymetry were no rmal for all treatment groups and were not statistically different amo ng groups, indicating the four agents provided a similar degree of end othelial protection and IOP stability. Conclusion: These results sugge st that IOP increases occur in varying degrees and at varying times in the early postoperative period after cataract surgery using a viscoel astic agent.