AUTHOR=Gioia Marco , De Bernardo Maddalena , La Marca Aniello , De Luca Martina , Pagliarulo Sergio , Avella Mariagrazia , Mignone Alfredo , Rosa Nicola 

TITLE=The short term impact of uncomplicated cataract surgery on retinal layers thickness

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1537402

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2025.1537402

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Objective or purposeTo detect the short-term impact of cataract surgery on retinal layers thickness, as the exact mechanism of fundus changes after phacoemulsification has not yet been fully clarified.DesignA retrospective observational study.Subjects, participants, and/or controlsSeventy eyes of 70 patients with age ranging from 49 to 92 years, scheduled for cataract surgery, were included.Methods, intervention, or testingAll subjects underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, including ART-OCT volume with Heidelberg Spectralis before and approximately one month later cataract surgery.Main outcome measuresThe macula was divided into a central foveal region and four parafoveal regions (superior, inferior, nasal, temporal). The scans were then automatically segmented into the different retinal layers and the changes in each layer were assessed.ResultsThe results revealed that both the inner retinal layers and the entire retina exhibited a statistically significant thickening in foveal and parafoveal region: IRL (p < 0.001), ONL (p < 0.001), GCL (p = 0.010), RNFL (p = 0.020), and ALL (p < 0.001). Conversely, the outer retinal layers showed a statistically significant reduction in thickness only within the parafoveal regions: ORL (p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study may provide a pathophysiological explanation for post-phacoemulsification changes affecting the retina.