Higher TGF-β2 Level in the Aqueous Humor of the Second Eye Versus the First Eye in the Course of Sequential Cataract Surgery.

: To assess the differences in cytokine levels in the aqueous humor (AH) of bilateral eyes receiving sequential phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.: The levels of 33 cytokines in AH samples collected from separate single-eye operations of 26 age-related cataract patients who experiencing sequential cataract surgery were compared between the first-eye and second-eye groups.: The AH level of transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β2), an immunosuppression regulator, in the second-eye group was significantly higher than that in the first-eye group (p = 0.002). No differences in the concentrations or detection rates of other cytokines were observed between the first- and second-eye groups.: During bilateral sequential cataract surgery, the AH of the second eye had a higher level of TGF-β2 but not of proinflammatory cytokines or chemokines compared with those in the first eye, implying a protective mechanism preventing the sympathetic immune reaction induced by the first-eye cataract surgery.