AIM:To observe the changes of macular thickness in patients after cataract operation.

METHODS: A total of 126 patients(133 eyes)were divided into two groups that were included in this study. The group(68 eyes of 64 case)with phacoemulsification combined intraocular lens implantation and(65 eyes of 62 cases)with manual small incision cataract surgery(MSICS). There was no complication before and during the surgery. Optical coherence tomography(OCT)was examined 1, 3mo before and after surgery. The visual acuity and macular thickness were compared after surgery. The SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. The paired t-test was used before and after surgery. Independent-samples t test was used in two groups before and after surgery, α=0.05.

RESULTS: The cataract phacoemulsification group: preoperative and 1mo after surgery, the mean macular thickness was 241.3±10.9μm and 279.7±16.5μm,with significant difference(P<0.01). The mean macular thickness was 245.6±12.6μm 3mo after surgery without statistical difference compared with preoperative(P>0.05). The mean macular thickness was 279.7±16.5μm 1mo after surgery and 245.6±12.6μm 3mo after surgery with statistical difference(P<0.05). Three eyes displayed cystoid macular edema at 1mo after surgery and 2 eyes of them was resolved 3mo after surgery. The group of MSICS: preoperative and 1mo after surgery, the mean macular thickness was 240.5±11.9μm and 280.7±16.8μm,with significant difference(P<0.01).The mean macular thickness was 246.6±13.2μm 3mo after surgery without statistical difference compared with preoperative(P>0.05). One month after surgery and 3mo after surgery, the mean macular thickness were 280.7±16.8μm and 246.6±13.2μm, with statistical difference(P<0.05). Two eyes displayed cystoid macular edema at 1mo after surgery and 2 eyes were resolved 3mo after surgery. Between the two groups pre-operation or after operation for 1, 3mo respectively P values were without statistical difference(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: The macular thickness and macular edema can be found 1mo after cataract phacoemulsification and MSICS. Three months post-operatively, macular edema disappears and does not show statistical difference compared with preoperative. The increase of macular thickness has no obvious relationship with the choice of surgery.