Effect of Anterior Chamber Depth on Corneal Endothelial Change After Phacoemulsification

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of preoperative and postoperative parameters, particularly anterior chamber depth, on corneal endothelial cell loss during cataract surgery. Methods: Eighty-two eyes of 82 patients who underwent cataract surgery by the same surgeon using the same technique were selected for the present study. Various preoperative and postoperative parameters including age, anterior chamber depth, duration and power of phacoemulsification, preoperative endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation, hexagonality, and grade of nucleosclerosis were evaluated. Endothelial cell densities were recorded preoperatively and at two months postoperatively using a noncontact specular microscope. Results: After two months, the mean central endothelial cell loss in all eyes was 8.77%. Among the pre- and post-operative parameters, patient' age, anterior chamber depth, duration, power, and energy of phacoemulsification and grade of nucleosclerosis showed significant correlation with endothelial cell loss. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified age, nucleosclerosis, anterior chamber depth, and phacoemulsification time as independent predictors for endothelial cell loss. Conclusions: The risk of endothelial cell loss increased with increases in patient' age, nucleosclerosis, and phacoemulsification time. However, eyes with a deep anterior chamber showed a significantly lower risk of endothelial cell loss.