Effect of small incision cataract surgery on ocular blood flow in cataract patients

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of small incision cataract surgery using peribulbar anesthesia on ocular blood flow in patients with senile cataract. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Methods: In 33 eyes of 33 consecutive patients scheduled for cataract surgery, ocular hemodynamics were measured preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. Measurements included fundus pulsation amplitude (FPA) with a laser interferometric method that assessed the pulsatile choroidal blood flow, mean blood flow velocity (MFV), and resistive index (RI) in the ophthalmic artery (OA) and the central retinal artery (CRA) with Doppler sonography. Systemic hemodynamics and intraocular pressure (IOP) also were measured. Results: The FPA, MFV, and RI in the OA and the CRA did not change postoperatively from baseline values. Systemic hemodynamics, IOP, and as a consequence ocular perfusion pressure, also remained unchanged. Conclusion: Uneventful small incision cataract surgery using peribulbar anesthesia did not affect ocular blood flow in patients with senile cataract between 1 day and 1 month postoperatively.