The relationship between anterior chamber space and corneal endothelial change in phacoemulsification.

Objective To study the relationship between anterior chamber space and the corneal endothelial change in phacoemulsification.Methods Phacoemulsification and IOL implantation were performed in 20 eyes of 19 senior patients.The anterior chamber volume and depth were determined quantatively by using Orbscan Ⅱ before surgery.The axial length was examined by A-mode ultrasonography before phaco.Endothelial densities of the mid-cornea were measured with no-ncontact specular microscope before and one week after surgery.Results The mean preoperative anterior chamber volume was 158.66±29.14mm~3,anterior chamber depth 2.69±0.41 mm and axial length 23.79±2.43mm.The corneal endothelial cell loss rate was(31.27+ 16.11%).A significant negative correlation existed between the preoperative anterior chamber space and the postoperative corneal endothelial cell loss rate(P0.001).There was no statistically significant correlation between the preoperative axial length and the postoperative corneal endothelial cell loss rate(P=0.606).Conclusions The measurement of anterior chamber space before phacoemulsification is helpful in evaluating the severity of endothelial damage after surgery and can be used to predict the outcome of the cornea.