Postoperative Corneal Epithelial Remodeling After Phacoemulsification And Istent Inject® W

 To assess epithelial corneal remodeling by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) after

cataract surgery versus cataract and iStent device implantation versus micro-bypass stent implantation without

phacoemulsification surgery.

Fundación Oftalmología Médica de la Comunidad Valenciana (FOMCV)

 This prospective observational pilot study included patients with cataracts, patients with cataracts and mild

open-angle-glaucoma (OAG) and patients with clear lens and mild OAG. AS-OCT, corneal topography and endothelial

cells counting were performed before the surgery and the day, the week and the month after the surgery. Corneal

pachymetry mapping was performed and total corneal and epithelial thicknesses (3 mm central and 16 points on 6-mm

zone) were measured over the pupila center using AS-OCT.

 A total of 36 eyes were analysed in three groups. Corneal pachymetry mapping revealed that epithelial

thickness increased significantly the day and the week after the surgery compared with the values before the intervention

in the only phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation group and in the group with the cataract and iStent

implantation. No statistically changes between these two groups were observed. In the third group, the study of the

corneal postoperative remodeling after the solo iStent W ® inject implantation, showed no statistically differences in the

measures before and after the surgery

The iStent creates a 'bypass' between the front chambers of the eye and its natural drainage pathway. The iStent W® inject implantation do not cause an

increase in cornea thickness and in the endothelial layer by itself. It is a safe procedure in patients with corneal endothelial cells dysfunction and do not disrupt the epithelial remodeling

after a phacoemulsification surgery.