# Effect of Intracameral Air Bubble Injection on Early Visual and Intraocular Pressure Outcomes After Phacoemulsification

## TL;DR

Injecting an air bubble after cataract surgery improves vision and lowers eye pressure, with minimal side effects.

## Contribution

Demonstrates that intracameral air bubble injection is a simple, effective technique to enhance postoperative visual outcomes.

## Key findings

- Uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly after air bubble injection.
- Intraocular pressure decreased significantly following the procedure.
- Minimal corneal edema and no significant inflammation were observed.

## Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of intracameral air bubble injection in enhancing visual acuity following phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Methods: A prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted on 98 eyes from 78 participants who underwent phacoemulsification at SMEC Eye Hospital, Medan, between March and August 2025. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon using the phaco-chop technique with bimanual irrigation/aspiration and intraocular lens (IOL) hydro-implantation using a Venturi phaco machine (Bausch+Lomb, Bridgewater, NJ, USA). At the conclusion of the surgery, 0.5% levofloxacin was administered intracamerally for infection prophylaxis, followed by air bubble injection. Postoperative outcomes included uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and intraocular pressure (IOP), analyzed using paired t-tests (95% CI; p<0.05).

Results: UCVA improved significantly from logMAR 0.823 ± 0.113 (0.602-1.301) to 0.103 ± 0.073 (0.000-0.397) (p<0.001). BCVA improved from logMAR 0.651 ± 0.108 (0.477-0.903) to 0.083 ± 0.079 (0.000-0.176) (p<0.001). Mean IOP decreased from 17.23 ± 1.52 mmHg (16-20) to 13.26 ± 1.21 mmHg (11-16) (p<0.001). Minimal corneal edema and no significant inflammation were observed.

Conclusion: Intracameral air bubble injection at the end of phacoemulsification significantly improves UCVA and BCVA, lowers IOP, and minimizes corneal edema. This simple, safe, and reproducible technique represents a valuable adjunct to cataract surgery for optimizing postoperative visual outcomes and patient satisfaction.