PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of anterior chamber decompression in the management of intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes in the early period after uneventful phacoemulsification. SETTING: Royal Free Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom. METHODS: This prospective case series comprised 11 consecutive patients with otherwise healthy eyes who an IOP of at least 40 mm Hg 4 to 6 hours after phacoemulsification. After anterior chamber decompression, the IOP was measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes or until it exceeded 40 mm Hg. RESULTS: The mean IOP 4 to 6 hours postoperatively was 47.09 mm Hg +/- 7.92 (SD) (range 40 to 68 mm Hg). After decompression, the IOP dropped significantly to a mean of 4.73 +/- 3.00 mm Hg at 0 minutes (P<.001) and then increased progressively to 23.36 +/- 10.80 mm Hg at 15 minutes (P<.001), 33.82 +/- 11.74 mm Hg at 30 minutes (P=.005), 35.00 +/- 6.53 mm Hg at 45 minutes (P=.015), and 38.50 +/- 2.51 mm Hg at 60 minutes (P=.041). CONCLUSIONS: Marked IOP spikes developed in eyes without glaucoma or ocular hypertension after uneventful phacoemulsification. Anterior chamber decompression immediately lowered IOP, but the effect was transient.
PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of anterior chamber decompression in the management of intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes in the early period after uneventful phacoemulsification. SETTING: Royal Free Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom. METHODS: This prospective case series comprised 11 consecutive patients with otherwise healthy eyes who an IOP of at least 40 mm Hg 4 to 6 hours after phacoemulsification. After anterior chamber decompression, the IOP was measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes or until it exceeded 40 mm Hg. RESULTS: The mean IOP 4 to 6 hours postoperatively was 47.09 mm Hg +/- 7.92 (SD) (range 40 to 68 mm Hg). After decompression, the IOP dropped significantly to a mean of 4.73 +/- 3.00 mm Hg at 0 minutes (P<.001) and then increased progressively to 23.36 +/- 10.80 mm Hg at 15 minutes (P<.001), 33.82 +/- 11.74 mm Hg at 30 minutes (P=.005), 35.00 +/- 6.53 mm Hg at 45 minutes (P=.015), and 38.50 +/- 2.51 mm Hg at 60 minutes (P=.041). CONCLUSIONS: Marked IOP spikes developed in eyes without glaucoma or ocular hypertension after uneventful phacoemulsification. Anterior chamber decompression immediately lowered IOP, but the effect was transient.