Cataract surgery in eyes with low corneal endothelial cell density.

PURPOSE

To compare corneal endothelial damage after cataract surgery in eyes with low endothelial cell density (ECD) and eyes with normal ECD.

SETTING

Hayashi Eye Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

METHODS

Cataract surgery was performed in eyes with a low ECD (500 to 1000 cells/mm(2)) (low-density group) and control eyes with a normal ECD. The ECD and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured preoperatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively, and the percentage cell loss and increase in CCT were compared.

RESULTS

The low-density group and control group each comprised 50 eyes. In the low-density group, 39 eyes had nonprogressive endothelial pathology and 11 had Fuchs dystrophy. The mean ECD was significantly less and the CCT significantly greater in the low-density group than in the control group throughout the follow-up (P ≤.0066). However, no significant difference in the percentage of cell loss was found between groups at 1 or 3 months (5.1%, low-density group; 4.2%, control group) (P ≥.1477). The percentage increase in CCT was significantly greater in the low-density group than in the control group at 1 month (P<.0001), although there was no significant difference at 3 months (0.4% and -0.4%, respectively) (P=.2172).

CONCLUSION

Corneal endothelial damage after cataract surgery in eyes with low ECD was slight and comparable to that in healthy eyes, which suggests that cataract surgery alone (without corneal transplantation) should be performed first.