To investigate the long-term results after cataract surgery in eyes with low endothelial cell density (ECD).

A retrospective medical record review was performed of 19 patients with low ECD (lower than 1000 cells/mm²) who 31 patients with a normal ECD (higher than 1600 cells/mm²) underwent cataract surgery. Clinical parameters including visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), spherical equivalent refraction, anterior chamber depth, axial length and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured and specular microscopy was performed to analyze the ECD and its morphology. The follow-up periods were 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

Clinical parameters except ECD and CCT had no significant difference between the 2 groups until 12 months postoperatively. The decreasing rate of ECD and increase of CCT were significantly different between the 2 groups at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. However, no significant difference was found after 3 months postoperatively. Only 1 eye in the low ECD group with 367 cells/mm² developed bullous keratopathy.

In the low ECD group, a significant decrease of ECD and increase of CCT were observed at 1 month after cataract surgery. However there were no significant differences compared with the control group after 3 months postoperatively. The results suggest that cataract surgery is safe postoperatively for a long-term for a patient with low ECD.