CORNEAL CHANGES AFTER BLEPHAROPLASTY IN PATIENTS WITH CATARACT AS RECORDED WITH PENTACAM AXL

A prospective Study: To evaluate the effect of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on cornea and describe the topographical changes in cataract patients using Pentacal AXL as also IOL Master and TOPCON.

Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main (Germany), Ophthalmological department.

44 Pateints ( n=88 eyes) all with diagnosis of cataract and blepharochalasis. There were consecutive measurements performed: at baseline (preoperative), 2 weeks and 3 months after blepharoplasty. There were following measerments considered: K1, K2, Kmax, Astigmatism in TCPR(Total cornea refractive power) and a value p <0.01 was considered as significant. 

Two weeks after blepharoplasty, there was no significant change recorded with the Pentacam AXL. Thought, 3 months after surgery there was a significant increase in measurements of flattest meridian K1 and as it seems it was statistically significant changed. Preoperative and postoperative values of corneal topography measurements (K1, K2, cylinder value and axis) and anterior chamber depth were compared. At 3 months, parameters like total astigmatism of the TCRP, K1 value and anterior chamber depth measured with the Pentacam AXL device showed a statistically significant difference. All other parameters showed no change for comparisons between baseline and two weeks or 3 months (p > 0.01 for all comparisons). As recorded with Pentacam AXL, K1 value measured in baseline and 3 months after surgery was significantly increased with a p-Value of 0,02252.Also the measurement of astigmatism in TCRP of the Pentacam AXL was significantly increased 3 months postoperatively compared with the baseline and the p-Value was as 0.09716 recorded.At last, anterior chamber depth was significantly increased with a p-Value of 0,006736 3 months after blepharoplasty.

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty may produce corneal and optical changes as measured with Pentacam AXL. The patients undergoing cataract surgery and specially those who aiming spectacle independence may gain additional visual benefits if combined with a prior upper eyelid blepharoplasty.