Astigmatic changes after sutureless small-incision cataract-surgery using a superior or temporal corneal incision

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Techniques
• Corneal Astigmatism

Background:

• Sutureless small-incision cataract surgery is a common procedure.
• Understanding astigmatic outcomes based on surgical approach is crucial for patient vision quality.
• Minimizing surgically induced astigmatism improves refractive predictability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare surgically induced astigmatism and its stability between superior and temporal approaches in sutureless small-incision cataract surgery.
• To evaluate the impact of surgical entry site on postoperative astigmatic changes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 2004-2005 data.
• Inclusion of 105 eyes undergoing sutureless small-incision cataract surgery.
• Calculation of surgically induced astigmatism using Cravy, Jaffe, and Naeser methods.
• Categorization of patients into superior (66 eyes) and temporal (39 eyes) approach groups.

Main Results:

• The superior approach group exhibited a typical against-the-rule shift in the early postoperative period.
• The temporal approach group showed a slight with-the-rule shift.
• The temporal approach resulted in less induced astigmatism and greater stability compared to the superior approach.

Conclusions:

• The temporal approach in sutureless small-incision cataract surgery offers better astigmatic stability and induces less astigmatism than the superior approach.
• Surgical site selection is a significant factor in managing astigmatism during cataract surgery.
• Further research may explore long-term outcomes and optimal patient selection for each approach.