Low Pressure Cataract Surgery In Glaucoma Patients With Zeiss Quatera 700

To evaluatie the performance and safety of the ZEISS QUATERA 700 phacoemulsification system for low intra-ocular pressure cataract surgery in glaucoma patients. 

Investigator initiated prospective observatory clinical trial in ten glaucoma patients scheduled for cataract surgery. Surgeries were done under topical anesthesia by one surgeon in an outpatient ambulatory setting.

Inclusion of ten glaucomatous eyes with cataract that are scheduled for cataract surgery with Zeiss Quatera 700 system under topical anesthesia. During the surgery, both in phaco-emulsification modes and irrigation/aspiration modes, the desired intra-ocular pressure was set at the minimum (30mmHg). Preoperative papil biometry, visual field, endothelial cell count and intra-ocular pressure are compared with postoperative values. Peroperative anterior chamber stability, any sugerical complication, effective phaco time and total duration of the surgery are monitored. 

Primary outcome: no adverse events nor complications occured during the surgeries.

Secondary outcomes: All patients had a significant increase in best-corrected visual acuity after cataract surgery. Intra-ocular pressure at week 4 and endothelial cell count remained stable. There were no significant changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness but there as a trend towards a decrease of visual field mean deviation values.

Low intra-ocular pressure cataract surgery in glaucomatous eyes with Zeiss Quatera 700 system is feasible and safe. The overall safety profile of cataract surgery in glaucomatous eyes improves with significantly lower peroperative intra-ocular pressures in respect to previous generation phaco machines.