Hridya Mohan, K. C. Rajini
PURPOSE: To compare the concentration of ascorbic acid in the aqueous humor and serum of cases of pseudoexfoliation and age and sex matched controls and to observe the intra operative challenges faced during cataract surgery in cases of pseudo exfoliation and controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a case control study with 40 cases of pseudo exfoliation and 40 age and sex matched controls with similar grade of cataract. Procedure involved collection of 0.15ml of aqueous humor in a tuberculin syringe prior to the side port incision, from cases and controls which was and immediately sent for biochemical analysis by spectro photometry. Intra operative difficulties were observed and compared. Serum samples of 5ml each from cases and controls were also analyzed for as corbate concentration and compared. The statistical analysis was done using standard t- test and p value estimation. RESULTS: The ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor of cases is significantly lower than in controls and the intra operative challenges during cataract surgery were more in cases than in controls. CONCLUSION: The lowering of ascorbic acid concentration in the aqueous humor of pseudo exfoliation patients emphasizes the role of oxidative damage in the etiology of pseudo exfoliation. The study throws light on the challenges encountered during cataract surgery in pseudo exfoliation.
