Effect of Electrocauterization on Corneal Astigmatism in Temporal Incision Cataract Surgery

ABSTRACT

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.