Clinical evaluation of three incision size-dependent phacoemulsification systems

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Techniques

Background:

• Cataract surgery is a common procedure.
• Phacoemulsification is a standard technique.
• Clear corneal incisions are frequently used.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cataract surgery outcomes across three clear corneal incision sizes (1.8, 2.2, and 3.0 mm).
• To evaluate the impact of incision size on surgically induced astigmatism and wound integrity.

Main Methods:

• Prospective randomized comparative study.
• 120 patients with age-related cataracts were assigned to three groups based on incision size.
• Coaxial phacoemulsification was performed through clear corneal incisions of 1.8, 2.2, or 3.0 mm.
• Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes, including surgically induced astigmatism, were measured.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in most intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were observed.
• Surgically induced astigmatism was significantly lower in the 1.8-mm and 2.2-mm groups compared to the 3.0-mm group at 1 month.
• Incision thickness at 1 month was greatest in the 1.8-mm group.

Conclusions:

• Smaller clear corneal incisions (1.8 and 2.2 mm) resulted in less surgically induced astigmatism compared to larger incisions (3.0 mm).
• The choice of surgical equipment influences incision stress and wound integrity, potentially affecting achievable incision size reduction and astigmatism outcomes.