Lens densitometry in ultrasonic cataract phacoemulsification

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of using Pentacam HR sheimpflug camera for objective determination of cataract density. Material and Methods. The subject of the study was the method of determining the density of the lens (densitometry) by the Pentacam HR sheimpflug-camera. The object of the study were patients with age-related cataracts (147 eyes). All patients underwent ultrasound phacoemulsification with implantation of various types of intraocular lenses (IOL). Before treatment, the density of the lens was determined by non-contact method using PNS (Pentacam Nucleus Staging). During the surgery, the density of the lens was determined by the surgeon on a set of factors: the color of the nucleus, the mechanical density, the emulsification easiness. The equivalent ultrasound time and the fact of compliance or discrepancy in the degree of density of the lens with two methods of its determination were recorded for each patient. Results. It was found that the density of the lens recorded by the Pentacam HR is in a direct strong correlation with the equivalent ultrasound time. It was shown that the discrepancy between the PNS method and the contact method performed by the surgeon significantly lengthens the surgery time. Conclusion. The Pentacam HR sheimpflug-camera is an accurate method of determining the density of the cataract before the surgery. The advantage of this method is that it is non-contact, quick and relatively easy-to-perform with the possibility of objective assessment.