[Astigmatism in cataract surgery. Retrospective study of 1,304 cases]

We performed a retrospective computerized study of 1304 consecutive cataract extractions, of which 251 were intracapsular and 1053 extracapsular. The analysis of surgically induced astigmatism after a mean follow-up of 22.8 months involved 639 cases. Operations were performed by two experienced surgeons using a similar and standardized technique; however the location of the incision varied without selecting patients: 391 were corneal, 248 limbal. We found that corneal incision gives significantly more against-the-rule astigmatism (average -0.61 dptr) than limbal incision (average -0.32 dptr). The suture induced astigmatism has no determining effect on the final astigmatism (correlation coefficient = 0.011). Selective suture cutting is an interesting technique for an individual dosage of the amount of final astigmatism.