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Correlation between different Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry analysis and effective phacoemulsification time in mild nuclear cataracts

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Purpose

To assess the correlations between preoperative Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry and effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) in age-related nuclear cataracts.

Design

Retrospective consecutive study.

Methods

The setting was the Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Braga, Portugal. The study population included 50 eyes (42 patients) with age-related nuclear cataracts submitted to uneventful phacoemulsification surgery. Different analysis methods of Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry were performed: Pentacam Nucleus Staging (PNS) score with an ordinal scale from 0 to 5 and three-dimensional (3D), linear and region of interest (ROI) methods, which are displayed on an absolute scale (from 0 to 100%). EPT was calculated for the cataract surgery, which was performed by the same surgeon. Correlations between lens densitometry variables and EPT were determined using Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients according to data normality.

Results

There were significant correlations between EPT and average density and maximum density variables derived from the 3D (r = 0.596, p < 0.001; r = 0.632, p < 0.001, respectively) and ROI (r = 0.527, p < 0.001; r = 0.575, p < 0.001, respectively) methods. The average density was the only parameter derived from the linear analysis that showed a significant correlation with EPT (r = 0.293, p = 0.039). The PNS score did not show a significant correlation with EPT (rho = 0.124, p = 0.390).

Conclusion

The densitometric parameters based on the 3D method showed the highest correlations with EPT. The referred lens densitometric analysis approach may be used in preoperative assessment in order to predict EPT more efficiently in age-related nuclear cataracts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Braga, Braga, Portugal

    Fernando Faria-Correia, Tiago Monteiro & Nuno Franqueira

  2. Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Fernando Faria-Correia & Tiago Monteiro

  3. ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal

    Fernando Faria-Correia

  4. ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal

    Fernando Faria-Correia

  5. Rio de Janeiro Corneal Tomography and Biomechanics Study Group, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Fernando Faria-Correia, Bernardo Lopes & Renato Ambrósio Jr.

  6. Instituto de Olhos Renato Ambrósio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Bernardo Lopes & Renato Ambrósio Jr.

  7. VisareRio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Renato Ambrósio Jr.

  8. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Renato Ambrósio Jr.

  9. Avenida de Bessa, Edifício Boapor II, 216, 7º Frente, 4100-012, Porto, Portugal

    Fernando Faria-Correia

Authors
  1. Fernando Faria-Correia
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  2. Bernardo Lopes
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  3. Tiago Monteiro
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  4. Nuno Franqueira
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  5. Renato Ambrósio Jr.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fernando Faria-Correia.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Ambrósio is a consultant for Oculus (Wetzlar, Germany), Alcon (Fort Worth, Texas, USA) and Carl Zeiss Meditec (Jena, Germany). Other authors have no financial disclosures to state.

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Faria-Correia, F., Lopes, B., Monteiro, T. et al. Correlation between different Scheimpflug-based lens densitometry analysis and effective phacoemulsification time in mild nuclear cataracts. Int Ophthalmol 38, 1103–1110 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-017-0566-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-017-0566-7

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