This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
LRIs, arcuate incisions popular methods to correct residual astigmatism
SAN FRANCISCO — Limbal relaxing incisions and femtosecond laser arcuate incisions are gaining favor as methods to correct residual astigmatism after cataract surgery, a speaker said here.
"We are now undergoing a renaissance of LRIs and [astigmatic keratotomies], and these are becoming more and more important in our armamentarium," Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, said during Cornea Day preceding the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.
Eric D. Donnenfeld
Residual astigmatism is the primary cause of patient dissatisfaction after cataract surgery, Donnenfeld said. Presbyopic IOLs also yield low patient satisfaction, he said.
"There’s a large disconnect between patients trying to achieve superlative refractive outcomes and doctors not being able to deliver this," Donnenfeld said.
LRIs are less costly than excimer laser ablation, can correct up to 2 D of residual astigmatism and may improve the accuracy of laser ablation in the future, he said. Manual LRIs can also be performed in an office setting.
However, downsides of LRIs include lack of an effect on spherical equivalent refraction and variability of outcomes depending on age, IOP and corneal biomechanical factors, Donnenfeld said.
In addition, LRIs are difficult to place accurately, whereas femtosecond laser arcuate incisions are adjustable, he said.
Femtosecond arcuate incisions may be performed at the time of cataract surgery, Donnenfeld said.
Disclosure: Donnenfeld is a consultant for Abbott Medical Optics, AcuFocus, Alcon, Allergan, AqueSys, Bausch + Lomb, Elenza, Glaukos, Katena, Merck, NovaBay, Odyssey, Pfizer, PRN, QLT, SARcode, TearLab and WaveTec.