PURPOSE: To compare changes in the upper eyelid position after cataract surgery with phacoemulsification and extracapsular techniques. METHODS: The upper eyelid position was measured in two groups of patients before and 30 days after cataract surgery performed with phacoemulsification and extracapsular techniques. Palpebral fissure images (before and after the cataract surgery) were digitized and then processed using the NIH 1.62 software. Eyelid position was measured relative to a horizontal line passing through the pupil center and connecting both canthi of the palpebral fissure. RESULTS: The palpebral position was differently affected according to the techniques. In phacoemulsification the mean difference between eyelids position before and after surgery was -0.54 mm. In the extracapsular technique this difference increased to -1.41 mm.The paired Student t test showed that the difference between two means was significant (p=0.0068). CONCLUSION: The phacoemulsification technique induces less variation in the upper eyelid position than the extracapsular technique in the recent postoperative period.
Blepharoptosis; Cataract extraction; Phacoemulsification; Eyelids; Image processing, computer-assisted; Ophthalmologic surgical procedures
