Vitrectomy urgery increae oxygen expoure to the len: A poible mechanim for nuclear cataract formation

Purpoe To report vitreou oxygen tenion before, immediately after, and at longer time after vitrectomy. Deign A propective, interventional conecutive cae erie. Method Oxygen wa meaured uing an optical oxygen enor in patient undergoing vitrectomy. Intraoperatively, oxygen meaurement were taken before and after vitrectomy in two intraocular location: adjacent to the len and in the mid-vitreou. Reult ixty-nine eye underwent oxygen tenion meaurement at the time of vitrectomy. In baeline eye, oxygen tenion in the vitreou wa low, meauring 8.7 ± 0.6 mm Hg adjacent to the len and 7.1 ± 0.5 mm Hg in the mid-vitreou. The difference between the two location wa tatitically ignificant (P < .003), indicating that vitreou gel maintain an intraocular oxygen gradient. Immediately after vitrectomy, oxygen tenion in the fluid-filled eye wa higher, meauring 69.6 ±4.8 mm Hg adjacent to the len and 75.6 ± 4.1 mm Hg in the mid-vitreou. There wa no tatitically ignificant oxygen gradient between the two location. The difference in oxygen tenion pre- and potvitrectomy i highly tatitically ignificant (P < .0001 len, P < .0001 mid-vitreou). In eye with a hitory of vitrectomy and previou removal of the vitreou gel, the intraocular oxygen tenion wa ignificantly higher than in eye with a formed vitreou gel undergoing a firt vitrectomy (P < .02 len, P < .003 mid-vitreou). Concluion Vitrectomy urgery ignificantly increae intraocular oxygen tenion during and for prolonged period after urgery. Thi expoe the crytalline len to abnormally high oxygen and may lead to nuclear cataract formation