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Limbal relaxing incisions to correct astigmatism in clear corneal cataract surgery
K Müller-Jensen1, P Fischer, U Siepe
1Augenklinik des Städtischen Klinikums, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Purpose:
To prevent surgically induced astigmatism following clear corneal cataract surgery.
Methods:
Limbal relaxing incisions of 6- or 8-mm length and 0.55-microm depth were performed in 52 patients (52 eyes) with a spherical cornea (20 eyes) or mean with-the-rule astigmatism (32 eyes) of 0.80 +/- 0.30 D after temporal corneal cataract incision. A control group (47 eyes; 19 spherical and 28 with-the-rule astigmatism) underwent the same surgical procedure without limbal relaxing incisions.
Results:
Six months after surgery, mean with-the-wound change using the Holladay analysis was -0.08 +/- 0.50 D in spherical eyes with limbal relaxing incisions and +0.50 +/- 0.70 D in control eyes. Patients with preoperative with-the-rule astigmatism showed a mean with-the-wound change of -0.09 +/- 0.50 D after limbal relaxing incisions; in corresponding control eyes, mean change was +0.39 +/- 0.70 D.
Conclusion:
Limbal relaxing incisions are a reliable and safe procedure to reduce postoperative astigmatism.