Clear cornea sutureless phacoemulsification and astigmatic decay after two years

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Refractive Error Management

Background:

• Sutureless cataract surgery offers potential advantages in wound healing and visual recovery.
• Understanding the long-term astigmatic impact of temporal clear cornea incisions is crucial for surgical planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the astigmatic stability following clear cornea temporal sutureless cataract surgery over a 24-month period.
• To assess changes in keratometric and spectacle-induced astigmatism.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 43 eyes underwent clear cornea temporal sutureless cataract surgery.
• Keratometric cylinder and spectacle cylinder were measured pre-operatively, at 1 month, and at the final 2-year follow-up.
• Differences in astigmatism were calculated between pre-operative and final measurements, and between 1-month and final measurements.

Main Results:

• Mean keratometric cylinder change was 0.12 D (with-the-rule or against-the-wound) over 2 years.
• Eighty-two percent of eyes exhibited less than 0.3 D change in keratometric cylinder.
• Mean spectacle cylinder change was 0.05 D (against-the-rule) between 1 month and 2 years, with 93% achieving unaided 20/40 vision.

Conclusions:

• Carefully constructed temporal clear cornea sutureless incisions can achieve and maintain astigmatic neutrality.
• This surgical approach demonstrates excellent long-term refractive stability.