AIM:To evaluate retrobulbar ocular blood flow changes after phacoemulsification.

METHODS:Prospective consecutive study. Forty-six eyes from 46 cataract patients scheduled for phacoemulsification surgery at Affiliated Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College were recruited, of which 22 patients with normal blood pressure and 24 patients with hypertension. All eyes were examined by a color Doppler imaging at before, 4h, 1d after surgery. Resistance indexes(RIs), peak systolic flow velocity(PSV), end-diastolic flow velocity(EDV)were assessed in the ophthalmic artery(OA), central retinal artery(CRA), and short posterior ciliary arteries(PCA).

RESULTS:RIs of a retrobulbar ocular vessels are stable at 4h and 1d in both group postoperatively. A slight decrease in PSV of PCA in hypertension patients, while a slightly increase in normal patients at 4h postoperatively was observed(10.22±4.39 vs 11.73±4.69). There were no significant difference between them(P=0.089). PSV and EDV in CRA are lower in hypertension patients but without statistical significance compared with normal patients. There was a statistically significant decrease in EDV of the PCA in hypertension patients at 4h postoperatively compared with preoperatively(3.23±1.10 vs 3.63±1.15,P=0.036).

CONCLUSION:Retinal blood flow was disturbed at super-early after phacoemulsification. Age and hypertension are important risk factors to phacoemusification.