To investigate the effects of encircling scleral buckle (SB) on corneal biomechanical properties of the cornea and its morphological parameters.
We prospectively examined twelve eyes diagnosed with vitreous haemorrhage undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), and fifteen eyes undergoing combined PPV and scleral buckle (PPV/SB) for repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Corneal biomechanical properties, including corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF), were measured with an Ocular Response Analyser (ORA) before and 1-month postoperatively. The ORA also determined the values of intraocular pressure (IOPg) and corneal compensated IOP (IOPcc). Finally, four morphological parameters of the cornea were measured with the Orbscan II topographer (Orbtek, Inc.): mean corneal power, thinnest corneal point (渭m), and anterior chamber depth (ACD).
CH decreased significantly from 10.2+/-1.7 mmHg to 7.6+/-1.1 mmHg after PPV/SB (p = 0.003), but not after PPV alone (9.8+/-3.2 mmHg vs 11.6+/-2.7 mmHg,
SB surgery leads to a change in the corneal biomechanical properties without altering corneal morphological parameters. It may cause an underestimation error in IOP measurement. PPV may be a less invasive surgical approach for the repair of noncomplex RRD than PPV/SB.