Elevated Intraocular Pressure After Cataract Surgery

The phenomenon of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) following cataract surgery has been documented since the 1950s. In 1976, a review of 630 cases of cataract extraction with lens implant concluded that elevated IOP was a transient and benign occurrence (Tranos et al., Eye 18:673–679, 2004). In nearly all patients, pressures returned to baseline with or without treatment. Some individuals, however, may experience pain, corneal edema, glaucomatous nerve damage, or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Ermis et al., Eye. 19:303–307, 2005). It is therefore important to continue monitoring the effect of new cataract surgical techniques on postoperative IOP, as well as the impact of increased IOP on visual outcomes.