Keratometric Cylinder Changes following Phacoemulsitication using Frown Incision and Linear Scleral Tunnel Incision with 10-0 nylon Interrupted Sutures

ABSTRACT

To evaluate surgically induced astigmatism in cataract surgery, we studied retrospectively a series of 30 eyes with 6.5mm sutureless frown incision(Group 1) and 30 eyes with linear scleral tunnel incision and 3 interrupt sutures using 100 nylon(Group 2). In all cases phacoemulsifications were performed and posterior chamber lenses were implanted. Group 1 showed the against-the-rule astigmatism at postoperative 2 week, and then the change of the astigmatism was minimal and still against-the-rule by postoperative 6 week and 3 month. In contrast, Group 2 showed with-therule astigmatism at postoperative 2 week and then showed the against-the-rule by postoperative 6 week and 3 month. There was no significant difference in the proportion of corrected visual acuity of 0.5 or better between two groups at postoperative 3 month, while uncorrected visual acuity of 0.5 or better was 93.3% in group 2, and 30.0% in group 1 at postoperative 3 month. In this study, it was found that the pattern of surgically induced astigmatism and uncorrected visual outcome in cataract surgery were different according to incision and suture techniques.