Is the first post-operative day review necessary following uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery?

Purpose To assess the necessity for first postoperative day review in deter mining the need for post-operative intervention in patients who had uncompl icated phacoemulsification surgery. Methods A retrospective study was carried out to review the first post-oper ative day findings in patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsificat ion surgery by a single surgeon between January 1997 and March 1998. The fi ndings analysed were wound integrity, corneal clarity, anterior chamber act ivity, intraocular pressure and the intraocular lens status. The need for m edical or surgical intervention was also analysed. Those eyes that had coex isting ocular pathology such as glaucoma ocular hypertension, uveitis, trau ma or previous intraocular surgery were excluded from the study. Fisher's e xact test was used to compare the difference between the groups. Results Seventy-one eyes of 71 patients who underwent an uncomplicated phac oemulsification procedure were included in the study. Intraocular pressure of 30 mmHg or greater was found in 7 eyes (10%), all of which also had corn eal oedema. These patients received acetazolamide SR 250 mg twice daily for 3 days. Another 21 eyes (30%) had corneal oedema for which no specific tre atment was given. The intraocular pressure had returned to baseline and cor neal oedema resolved by the first clinic follow-up in 1-2 weeks. None of th e 71 patients needed surgical intervention in the post-operative period. Conclusion First post-operative day review is necessary as it gives an oppo rtunity to manage the post-operative rise in intraocular pressure.