Surgically-induced astigmatism in combined ECCE with filtering procedures compared to ECCE alone

Extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of a posterior chamber lens combined with filtering surgery (glaucoma triple procedure) is frequently employed in the co-management of cataract and glaucoma. Nineteen triple procedures with a minimum of six months follow up were compared to 19 cases of extracapsular cataract extraction with lens implant matched for age, sex, and surgeon with regard to surgically induced astigmatism as determined by vector analysis. Follow up averaged 10 months for the triple group and 14 months for the controls. There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative astigmatism between the two groups nor in the mean number of sutures cut. Postoperatively, the keratometric cylinder averaged 2.55 +/- 1.54 diopters for the cases and 1.20 +/- 1.11 D for the controls; the difference of 1.36 D was statistically significant (P = .004). The postoperative refractive cylinder was 2.34 +/- 1.54 D for the cases and 1.29 +/- 1.07 D for the controls; the difference of 1.05 D was statistically significant (P = .017). With regard to surgically-induced astigmatism, vector analysis showed that the cases averaged 2.18 +/- 1.25 D and the controls 1.23 +/- 0.81 D; the difference of 0.95 D was statistically significant (P = .006). With regard to surgically-induced astigmatism, vector analysis showed that the cases averaged 2.18 +/- 1.25 D and the controls 1.23 +/- 0.81 D; the difference of 0.95 D was statistically significant (P = .006). When analyzed for change along the vertical meridian, the cases averaged 1.12 +/- 1.57 D surgically-induced against-the-rule astigmatism, as compared with 0.30 +/- 1.16 D for the controls (difference, 0.83 D; P = .062). The glaucoma triple procedures induced approximately 1.00 D more cylinder than the controls.