OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to evaluate the advantages and complications in the intraoperative and early postoperative periods of the phacoemulsification and extracapsular techniques for lens extraction in dogs.

MATERIALS

The present research was conduced at the Ophthalmology Unit of the Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - UNESP, Jaboticabal - São Paulo, Brazil. Twelve mongrel adult dogs ranging from 6 to 8 years old, weighing about 12 kg were submitted to bilateral lens extraction; phacoemulsification or extracapsular lens extraction techniques. This study had the approval of institution's animal care and use committee and was in accordance with the ARVO (Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) resolution concerning the use of animals in research. The follow-up period ranged from 1 day to 2 months.

RESULTS

The mean operating time was significantly lower in the phacoemulsification than in the extracapsular lens extraction techniques. Were observed two posterior capsular tears in eyes following phacoemulsification and four vitreous presentation into anterior chamber and one hyphema in eyes following extracapsular lens extraction. All dogs presented visual after a 2 months period of evaluation. Phacoemulsification technique induced corneal edema close to the incision site that was solved during the postoperative period. Diffuse corneal edema was observed in only two cases which receded in the second postoperative week. Diffuse corneal edema was found in all situations when the extracapsular lens extraction technique was performed and receded during the two-week postoperative period. It was also observed severe edema in superior and central cornea; three cases receded by the three postoperative weeks but this condition remained still in other three cases for two postoperative months. Uveitis was present in both eyes around the first day after surgery, situation that receded during the two-week post-operative period. The intraocular pressure levels increased two hours after surgery in both cases and returned to normal values 96 hours after surgery. Posterior capsular opacification has developed in one eye submitted to extracapsular lens extraction. Anterior synechia was observed in three cases, two of them were noted after extracapsular lens extraction and one was related to phacoemulsification.

CONCLUSION

Although the phacoemulsification technique exhibits higher costs, it shows shorter surgical time and less complications than extracapsular lens extraction.

Acknowledgments: FAPESP: 98/03153-8, Alcon Brazil -SA, Schering Brazil SA, Intervet.