New comparative ultrasound biomicroscopic findings between fellow eyes of acute angle closure and glaucomatous eyes with narrow angle

Abstract Background To investigate characteristics of the acute angle-closure crisis (AACC) and fellow eyes using confocal microscopy. Methods Unilateral AACC patients hospitalized at the Xi’an People’s Hospital from October 2017 to October 2020 were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Age-matched participants scheduled for cataract surgery were enrolled as a healthy control group. Corneal epithelial cells, subepithelial nerve fiber plexus, stromal cells, and endothelial cells were examined by confocal and specular microscopy. Results This study enrolled 41 unilateral AACC patients (82 eyes) and 20 healthy controls (40 eyes). Confocal microscopy revealed that the corneal nerve fiber density, corneal nerve branch density and corneal nerve fiber length were reduced significantly in AACC eyes. The stromal cells were swollen and the size of the endothelial cells was uneven with the deposition of punctate high-reflective keratic precipitate on the surface. In severe cases, the cell volume was enlarged, deformed, and fused. The corneal subepithelial nerve fiber, stromal layer, and endothelial layer were unremarkable in the fellow eyes, and the density of the endothelial cells was 2601 ± 529 cells/mm2, which was higher than 1654 ± 999 cells/mm2 in AACC eyes (P < 0.001). Corneal edema prevented the examination of 17 eyes using specular microscopy and in only four eyes using confocal microscopy. There were no significant differences in endothelial cell density between confocal and specular microscopy in the AACC eyes (P = 0.674) and fellow eyes (P = 0.247). The hexagonal cell ratio reduced significantly (P < 0.001), and average cell size and coefficient of variation of the endothelial cells increased significantly compared with fellow eyes (P < 0.001, P = 0.008). Conclusions AACC eye showed decreased density and length of corneal subepithelial nerve fiber plexus, activation of stromal cells, increased endothelial cell polymorphism, and decreased density.

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Complete Anterior Capsule Phimosis following Cataract Surgery in a Patient with a History of Retinopathy of Prematurity, Nystagmus, and a Narrow Angle

Case Reports in Ophthalmology ◽

10.1159/000502282 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 274-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

William K. Wong Jr. ◽

Malcolm R. Ing ◽

Carlthan J.M. Ling

Keyword(s):

Cataract Surgery ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Acute Angle ◽

Angle Closure ◽

Laser Peripheral Iridotomy ◽

Anterior Capsule ◽

Narrow Angle ◽

History Of ◽

Acute Angle Closure ◽

The Right

The authors present a case of complete anterior capsule phimosis and vision decline which developed 4 weeks postoperatively in the right eye after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Prior ocular history included retinopathy of prematurity in both eyes, acute angle closure glaucoma in the left eye, prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy for a narrow angle in the right eye, and nystagmus in both eyes. This condition was addressed by surgically releasing the anterior capsule with microscissors to open the pupillary space which had been completely obscured by the anterior capsule, also causing the haptics of the 1-piece intraocular lens to deform. When cataract surgery was performed on his left eye, the surgeon performed prophylactic relaxing incisions at 4 points on the capsular opening. It is notable that his left eye did not develop anterior capsule phimosis postoperatively.

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