Effect of Electrocauterization on Corneal Astigmatism in Temporal Incision Cataract Surgery

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of electrocauterization on corneal astigmatism after cataract operation with temporal incision. Forty-two eyes of patients undergoing routine phacoemulsification with one piece type polymethymethacrylate(PMMA) posterior chamber lens implantation with 6.0mm temporal scleral pocket incision and sutureless method by one surgeon were randomly selected Corneal astigmatism was evaluated for postoperative 3 months and analyzed by Cravy`s vector method. Both groups(electrocauterization group and no electrocauterization group) showed slight with-the-rule change of corneal astigmatism till postoperative 3 months and electrocauterization group showed +0.31D at postoperative 3 months but these differences were not statistically significant(student`s t-test: p=1.10). This results demonstrate that the scleral electrocauterization at temporal incision site induced more with-the-rule change than no cauterization group.

The Change of Corneal Sensation Following LASIK

To evaluate the change of corneal sensation following LASIK, the corneal sensation of 26 eyes(14 patients) were examined before and 1 week, 2 week, 1 month, 2 month, 3 month, and 6 month after LASIK. The corneal sensation was measured on the following points of the center, temporal, inferior, nasal, and superior side with an esthesiometer of Cochet-Bonnet type. Each measurement of side point was taken 3mm apart from corneal center. The eyes were divided into two groups; group I was eyes with a corneal ablation depth under 100micrometer and group II was those with a value over 100micrometer. Corneal sensations in all cases were not recovered to the level of preoperation until 6 month after LASIK. The pattern of recovery was indifferent among the various points on the cornea except for the hinge side, which has shown more rapid recovery than any other area. The recovery speed between the hinge side and other areas was statistically significant(P<0.05). A decrease of corneal sensation was more prominent in group I than group II. With these results, we are able to suggest that lamellar cut of the cornea by LASIK procedure makes a damage on the corneal sensation and the depth of ablation might cause an influence on the amount of loss and recovery of the corneal sensation.

Clinical Results of LASIK with Turbokeratotome

We evaluated the result of treating myopia and compound myopic astigmatism in 50 eyes using the SCMD turbokeratotome and Visx 20/20 excimer laser with vision key card system. Manifest and cycloplegic refraction, uncorrectedand spectacle corrected visual acuity, corneal topography, pachymetry, slit lamp microscopy, fundus examination, and applanation tonometry were recorded preoperatively and at 1 week, 1, 2, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. The mean spherical epuivalent was changed from -9.1+/-2.47D to -1.37+/-1.28D at 3 month after surgery. 93.3% of eyes had uncorrected visualacuity of 20/40 or better at 3 months follow-up. No eye had visually significant ecntral cornealhaze. Complications such as over- or under correction, interface metallic debris, astigmatism, corneal erosion, incomplete flap, and total cutted flap were occurred. Conclusively, LASIK has good resuls but it is not complication-free procedure, and there is definitely a learning curve.