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Little change in corneal astigmatism from 2.75 mm cataract incisions
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Performing cataract surgery using clear corneal incisions of 2.75 mm causes only small changes in corneal cylinder, regardless of incision site, according to a study by Italian surgeons.
F. Giansanti and colleagues at the University Of Firenze conducted the prospective study, which included 146 eyes of different patients. Three cataract surgeons performed all procedures using either a temporal or superior approach. In all cases, a 2.75 mm incision was used, but surgeons could vary the incision slightly as needed due to eye and orbit characteristics, according to the study.
The researchers found no significant differences at 3 months follow-up in corneal astigmatism between incisions performed at 12 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions. But, at 3 months, there was a significant difference of –0.17 D in corneal astigmatism between incisions at 12 o’clock and 8 o’clock (P < .01).
All three incision caused significant changes in corneal astigmatism at 3 months follow-up. Among patients with 0.5 D of preoperative with-the-rule astigmatism, 12 o’clock incisions caused –0.32 D of change (P < .01), 2 o’clock incisions caused –0.24 D of change (P < .01) and 8 o’clock incisions caused –0.15 D of change (P < .05).
For patients with –0.5 D of against-the-rule preoperative astigmatism, 12 o’clock incisions caused 0.1 D of change, 2 o’clock incisions cause 0.18 D of change (P < .05) and 8 o’clock incisions caused 0.27 D of change, according to the study.
The study was published in the European Journal of Ophthalmology.