Purpose: To investigate the effect of non-phacoemulsification cataract operation in two different patterns
of nucleus delivery on the quantity and morphology of corneal endothelial cells and postoperative visual
acuity.
Methods: Forty patients diagnosed with cataract underwent cataract surgery and were assigned into the
direct nuclear delivery and semi-nuclear delivery groups. Lens density was measured and divided into the
hard and soft lenses according to Emery-little lens nucleus grading system. Non-phacoemulsification
cataract operation was performed. At 3 d after surgery, the quantity and morphology of corneal endothelium
were counted and observed under corneal endothelial microscope. During 3-month postoperative follow-up, the
endothelial cell loss rate, morphological changes and visual acuity were compared among
four groups.
Results: Corneal endothelial cell loss rate in the direct delivery of hard nucleus group significantly differed
from those in the other three groups before and 3 months after operation (P<0.01), whereas no statistical
significance was found among the direct delivery of soft nucleus, semi-delivery of hard nucleus
and semi-delivery soft nucleus groups (all P>0.05). Preoperative and postoperative 2-d visual acuity did
not differ between the semi-delivery of hard nucleus and direct delivery of soft nucleus groups (P=0.49),significantly differed from those in the semi-delivery of soft nucleus (P=0.03) and direct delivery of hard
nucleus groups (P=0.14). Visual acuity at postoperative four months did not differ among four groups (P=0.067).
Conclusion: During non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery, direct delivery of hard nucleus
caused severe injury to corneal endothelium and semi-delivery of soft nucleus yielded mild corneal endothelial
injury. Slight corneal endothelial injury exerted no apparent effect upon visual acuity and corneal
endothelial morphology at three months after surgery.