Prospective evaluation of visual function in patients with ocular diseases after robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate intraocular pressure and visual function in patients with ocular diseases undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. METHODS: We carried out a prospective clinical study of patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer at The University of Tokyo Hospital from December 2015 to March 2017. An ophthalmologist measured intraocular pressure, and carried out visual field testing at 0-2 months before and 7 days after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. During the surgery, an anesthesiologist measured intraocular pressure at specified time points. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were enrolled and 98 eligible patients were analyzed; 37 were diagnosed with ocular diseases before robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (17 with glaucoma, 20 with other ocular diseases). Intraocular pressure significantly increased during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. Transient postoperative visual field defect was detected in 24 eyes of 17 patients, including six patients with ocular diseases at 7 days after surgery. At 3 months after surgery, one of 34 glaucomatous eyes and one of 40 eyes with non-glaucomatous ocular diseases continued to show visual field defect, although visual field defect in the remaining patients recovered to preoperative conditions within 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy can be safely carried out in patients with ocular diseases, even those with glaucoma, after precautionary consultation with an ophthalmologist.