Effect of extracapsular and manual small incision cataract surgery with intraocular lens on scanning laser polarimetry

Purpose: To study the effect of cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation on scanning laser polarimetry. Methods: This was a prospective, cohort study. Scanning laser polarimetry using the GDx nerve fibre analyser was performed on 53 eyes of 53 patients who subsequently underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation by extracapsular extraction or manual small incision cataract surgery, and repeated at the final postoperative visit. Preoperative and postoperative values were compared using the paired t test. The patients were divided into 2 subgroups based on the type of surgery, and the mean differences between pre- and postoperative values for each parameter were compared between the subgroups using independent samples t test. Results: There was a significant increase in scanning laser polarimetry values for superior and inferior maxima (p < 0.001 for both), superior and inferior ratios (p < 0.001 for both), superior/nasal ratio (p < 0.001), superior and inferior averages (p < 0.001 for both), ellipse average (p < 0.001), ellipse modulation (p = 0.001), maximum modulation (p < 0.001), and average thickness (p = 0.002) postoperatively compared with preoperative values. The number showed a significant decrease (p < 0.001). When eyes were classified into subgroups based on the type of surgery, there was no significant difference in the amount of change postoperatively for any of the parameters between the subgroups. Conclusions: Scanning laser polarimetry parameters changed significantly following extracapsular or manual small incision cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation. This change was not affected by the type of cataract surgery.