Corneal Endothelium And Phacoemulsification Surgery

Phacoemulsification (phaco) surgery is the most commonly surgical intervention performed by ophthalmologists. The injury of corneal endothelial layer with phaco surgery is still important despite recent developments. The specular microscopy analysis of endothelial layer is very important in the preoperative evaluation of the patients with cataract. In addition, the influence of endothelial cell to phaco surgery may be evaluated with specular microscopic analysis techniques. Current phaco surgery is aimed to minimize endothelial damage by endothelial protective surgical techniques. Thus, endothelial cell count does not decrease under the physiological threshold level, and postoperative corneal edema improves with the compensation of residual cells in a short time. However, endothelial cell loss during aging may cause corneal decompensation at advanced age. Therefore, endothelial cell loss should be minimized at each step of phaco surgery. This article aims to review the analysis of corneal endothelial layer and specular microscopy and to evaluate the effect of phaco surgery on corneal endothelium.