Ocular hipertension confounded by corneal edema after cataract surgery

Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) overestimates intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements in cases with thick and flatter corneas. This is thought to occur linearly based on mathematical and on experimental studies. However, such influence does exist, but this is more complex than the one anticipated by pachymetry and keratometry because it is related to corneal biomechanical properties. The ocular response analyzer (ORA - Reichert) provides the data related to the biomechanical properties of the cornea along with the IOP measurements that are calibrated for correlating to the Goldmann applanation and also compensated from corneal properties. Also corneal tomography with a pachymetric map evaluation characterizes the cornea beyond central thickness and anterior curvature. In this article, we report a case of a 77 years old female patient with low vision, photofobia and ocular pain 28 days after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implant. In the first visit, GAT was 14mmHg, while IOPcc (ORA corneal compensated IOP) was 25,6mmHg. Corneal hysteresis and resistance factor were low: 4,1 and 6,1mmHg respectively despite a central thickness of 601 micron. Corneal thickness spatial profile was attenuated with an edematous pattern that was also observed by the Scheimpflug images (Pentacam). Hypertensive uveitis was diagnosed and the patient was started on a fixed combination of timolol and brimonidine associate with prednisolone acetate. Three weeks after, the patient referred resolution of photofobia and marked improvement of vision. Clinically, edema was resolved as observed by corneal tomographyc and biomechanical findings.