Postsurgical intraocular pressure elevation.

Eighty-six eyes undergoing intraocular surgery were evaluated for the incidence of acute postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) rise and the relationship between initial and delayed postoperative pressure elevations. Our results show that 22.5% of penetrating keratoplasty (triple procedures and aphakic transplants) and 32% of extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) patients developed an initial postoperative pressure greater than 23 mm Hg. Ninety percent of penetrating keratoplasty patients and 46% of ECCE patients who had an initial pressure elevation developed a delayed pressure elevation. Forty-three percent of penetrating keratoplasty and 32% of ECCE patients with a normal initial postoperative IOP developed a delayed pressure increase. Extracapsular cataract surgery patients developed late pressure rise with approximately the same frequency as normal eyes on prolonged topical steroid therapy, regardless of the initial postoperative pressure.