Microincision versus Standard Corneal Incision Phacoemulsification: Visual Outcome.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cataract Surgery
• Corneal Surgery

Background:

• Phacoemulsification is a common cataract surgery technique.
• Corneal incision size can potentially influence surgical outcomes.
• Microincisions aim to minimize surgical trauma and induced astigmatism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the visual outcomes of microincision (2.2 mm) versus standard (2.75 mm) corneal incision phacoemulsification.
• To evaluate the impact of incision size on surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), keratometry, and contrast sensitivity.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, randomized comparative study involving patients with senile cataract and <1 diopter of astigmatism.
• Two groups: Group 1 (2.2 mm incision) and Group 2 (2.75 mm incision).
• Postoperative assessments included visual acuity, keratometry, contrast sensitivity, and SIA at multiple follow-up intervals up to 6 months.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed between the 2.2 mm and 2.75 mm incision groups in terms of SIA (0.54 D vs 0.58 D, p=0.27).
• Visual acuity (distance and near), keratometry, keratometric cylinder, and contrast sensitivity showed no significant variations between groups.
• Surgically induced astigmatism remained consistently low and comparable in both groups throughout the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Both 2.2 mm and 2.75 mm clear corneal incisions are effective for phacoemulsification in patients with less than 1 D of preoperative astigmatism.
• The choice of incision size (microincision vs. standard) does not significantly impact postoperative visual outcomes, including SIA, keratometry, and contrast sensitivity.
• Microincision cataract surgery offers comparable results to standard incision surgery, supporting its use in appropriate patient populations.