Comparison of the Effect of 1.5% Polyacrylamide and 2% Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose on Postopearatıve Intraocular Pressure Following Cataract Surgery

Objective: To compare the effects of polyacrylamide and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose on postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Material and Methods: This prospective study comprised 80 eyes of 72 consecutive patients who underwent cataract surgery and implantation of foldable intraocular lens. Each eye was assigned to either group 1 or group 2. Polyacrylamide was used in group 1 and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was used in group 2. The viscoelastic material was aspirated using bimanual irrigation/aspiration tip in both groups. Preoperative and postoperative examinations (6 and 24 hours) included surgery time, intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness. Results: Mean age for the group 1 was 68,37 ± 6,75 years and 70,55 ± 6,25 years for group 2. There was no statistically significant difference when mean preoperative IOP was compared between the two groups. (p = 0,556). In group 1, the mean IOP did not increase significantly at 6th and 24th hours and 1th month after surgery in comparison to preoperative measurements (p > 0,05) In group 2, the mean IOP increased significantly at 6th hours when compared with group 1 and preoperative measurements (p < 0,001) and returned to baseline levels at 24th hours and 1th month postoperatively (p > 0,05). There was no significant difference between surgery time and central corneal thickness (p > 0,05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that Polyacrylamide doesn’t cause a significantly higher IOP increase postoperatively and it seems more safely when compared with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.