Abstract
This study determines the relationship between best correct visual acuity (BCVA) and phacoemulsification to investigate thefeatures of macular edema associated with cataract phacoemulsification via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Sixty-five patients (65 eyes) with macular edema associated with phacoemulsification were included in this study. Those patients without macular edema before phacoemulsification were observed with the use of Cirrus SD-OCT. The characteristics of edema and exudation were determined according to phacoemulsification with C-scan Cirrus-OCT to measure BCVA and choroidal/retinal thickness in the macula foveal. The choroidal thicknesses in the macula foveal via Cirrus SD-OCT for 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after phacoemulsification were, 371.2±23.7 μm, 434.7±18.9 μm, and 299.7±18.9 μm, respectively. The retinal thicknesses in the macula foveal were 314.8±19.5 μm, 356.8±15.4 μm, and 259.8±15.4 μm. BCVA ranged from 0.1-0.4 to 0.6-1.2. Serous macula edema and incomplete posterior vitreous detachment were observed. Cystoid spaces in the parafoveal region were seen at the inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer (OPR), and outer nuclear layer, and a discontinuous or weak inner segment/outer segment line was often seen in cystoid macular edema (CME). The micromorphological result of Cirrus SD-OCT was either a discontinuous or a weak OPR layer and edema choroida. SD-OCT can cause micromorphological changes in choroidal/retinal features and thicknesses in the macula foveal after cataract phacoemulsification. The results of CME are related to BCVA.
