Cystoid macular edema after phacoemulsification: Relationship to blood-aqueous barrier damage and visual acuity

Purpose: To ascertain the incidence of cystoid macular edema (CME) after ph acoemulsification and its relationship to blood-aqueous barrier damage and visual acuity. Setting: A British teaching hospital. Methods: A prospective trial was performed to document the incidence of CME after routine phacoemulsification with continuous curvilinear capsulorhexi s. LogMAR visual acuity and laser Rare were measured using the KOWA FC 1000 laser cell-Rare meter preoperatively and 1, 14, 30, and 60 days postoperat ively. At day 60, a standardized fluorescein angiogram was performed and gr aded by masked observers. Results: The rate of angiographic CME on day 60 was 19%. Visual acuity at e ach visit was significantly worse in the CME group (P <.05). The Rare and c ell values at days 14, 30, and 60 were higher in the CME group at day 60; h owever, the difference was not statistically significance (P >.05). Conclusions: The incidence of CME after routine phacoemulsification was 19% . Patients with CME at day 60 had significantly worse visual acuity than th ose who did not from the first postoperative day throughout the follow-up. There was a trend for patients who had CME at day 60 to have more postopera tive inflammation. J Cataract Refract Surg 1999. 25:1492-1497 (C) 1999 ASCR S and ESCRS.