Purpose: To evaluate long-term postoperative corneal changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
Methods: Twenty patients who participated in a previous study regarding corneal endothelial changes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery were examined after 7 years. The patients were divided in three groups based on their initial increase in central corneal thickness day one after the surgery: < 5% increase, 6–20% increase and ≥ 20% increase. The primary outcome measures were corneal endothelial cell loss (ECL), endothelial cell count (ECC) and endothelial morphology.
Results: After 7 years, a difference in cell loss between the groups was observed, except for groups 1 and 2. Endothelial cell count (ECC) differed significantly between groups 1 and 3 at 3 months. At 7 years, there was no difference in ECC between the three groups. Cell loss was found exclusively in group 1 between 3 months and 7 years. Endothelial cell morphology showed a converging pattern between 3 months and 7 years.
Conclusion: After phacoemulsification cataract surgery, long-term ECC and morphology appear to converge towards a comparable steady state regardless of initial corneal swelling and endothelial cell loss.