Evaluation of 6.5-mm BENT incision to reduce postoperative astigmatism

We examined surgically induced astigmatism following 6.5-mm incisions between 9 and 12 o'clock (BENT incision) in 50 cases with cataracts who underwent phacoemulsification-aspiration and 6-mm intraocular lens implantation. The surgically induced astigmatism (n = 50) shifted to against-the-rule astigmatism (ATR; -0.03 +/- 0.95 dpt) 1 day after the operation and then tended to shift to with-the-rule astigmatism (WTR). The results of a group with preexisting ATR (> 2 dpt; n = 4) were similar to the results of the aforementioned group, whereas the results of a group (n = 7) with preexisting WTR (> 2 dpt) were different. Astigmatism in this group shifted to ATR of about 1.0 dpt. This study suggests that the BENT incision procedure can reduce both preexisting WTR > 2.0 dpt and preexisting ATR > 2 dpt.