Intraocular pressure trends after supranormal pressurization to aid closure of sutureless cataract wounds

Purpose: To measure intraocular pressure (IOP) immediately and 25 minutes after small sutureless cataract surgery to estimate the duration of any elevation and to evaluate the relationship between supranormal pressurization and an elevated IOP 24 hours postoperatively. Setting: Routine outpatient cataract surgery at a tertiary referral center. Methods: Thirty-six consecutive eyes that had uneventful phacoemulsification cataract extraction were studied in a prospective fashion. Supranormal pressurization was attempted in ail cases. Surgery was performed through a 3.5 mm scleral wound. Results: Mean IOP dropped from 38.8 mm Hg +/- 11.4 (SD) to 19.8 +/- 5.3 mm Hg 25 minutes after the surgery (P < .0001). A subgroup of patients (n = 6) whose IOP was greater than 24 mm Hg 24 hours postoperatively had a pressure drop from 36.8 +/- 12.3 mm Hg to 23.2 +/- 6.2 mm Hg 25 minutes postoperatively (P = .051). In this subgroup, the mean 24 hour IOP then rose to 30.8 +/- 5.2 mm Hg (P = .043). Another subgroup of patients (n = 7) whose IOP was greater than 24 mm Hg at 25 minutes had a pressure drop from 46.3 +/- 8.5 mm Hg to 27.9 +/- 2.4 mm Hg (P = .0014), falling to 21.7 +/- 6.6 mm Hg at 24 hours (P = .018). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the rapid decline of IOP after supranormal pressurization at the conclusion of cataract surgery. In addition, supranormal pressurization did not seem to contribute to IOP elevation at 24 hours.