Descemet Membrane Detachment (DMD) After Cataract Surgery: Outcomes of Air Descemetopexy

Background: The aim is to analyze the anatomical & functional outcomes with intracameral injection of air (100%) in eyes with Descemet’s membrane (DM) detachment after cataract surgery. Material and Methods: This is retrospective non-comparative interventional case study included 43 eyes of 43 patients who underwent descemetopexy at a multi-speciality tertiary health care hospital & research centre from March 2025 to March 2026. The procedure consisted of descemet’s membrane reattachment by injecting filtered air (100%) intracamerally. Institutional review board approval was obtained prior to conducting the study. Outcome measures were reattachment of DM, improvement in visual acuity, resolution of corneal edema, causes for failure of DM reattachment and complications. Results: 43 eyes of 43 patients were analyzed. Distribution of DMD was between Phaco – 21 and small incision cataract surgery – 22 cases. All cases had a planar type of DMD. Air descemetopexy resulted in anatomical reattachment of DM in 91.3%, resolution of edema in 73.9% (37 of 43, 2 had resolving edema and 4 had persistent edema who underwent DSAEK). The post-operative vision 20/25 is seen in 10 patients, vision 20/30 seen in maximum number of patients i.e. 20 patients, vision 20/40 seen in 7 patients, vision 20/200 seen in 2 patients, while 3 patients have vision CF 3 Meters & 1 patients have vision CF 2 Meters post operatively & underwent DSAEK. Eyes with failure of DM reattachment & persistent edema at 1 month had an interim period of >4weeks. Conclusion: We conclude that descemetopexy with air offers a safe option with good anatomical & function outcome in early post cataract surgery period as in such cases, descemet membrane is devoid of structural alterations.

Keywords: Air descemetopexy, descemet, membrane detachment.