Similar articles

Abstract: Objective: To analyze the effectiveness and safety of corneal relaxing incisions (CRI) in correcting keratometric astigmatism during cataract surgery. Methods: A prospective study of two groups: control group and treatment group. A treatment group included 25 eyes of 25 patients who had combined clear corneal phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and CRI. A control group included 25 eyes of 25 patients who had clear corneal phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. Postoperative keratometric astigmatism was measured at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Results: CRI significantly decreased keratometric astigmatism in patients with preexisting astigmatism compared with astigmatic changes in the control group. In eyes with CRI, the mean keratometric astigmatism was 0.29±0.17 D (range 0 to 0.5 D) at 1 week, 0.41±0.21 D (range 0 to 0.82 D) at 1 month, respectively reduced by 2.42 D and 2.30 D at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively (P=0.000, P=0.000), and postoperative astigmatism was stable until 6 months follow-up. The keratometric astigmatism of all patients decreased to less than 1.00 D postoperatively. Conclusions: CRI is a practical, simple, safe and effective method to reduce preexisting astigmatism during cataract surgery. A modified nomogram is proposed. The long-term effect of CRI should be investigated.

[1] Akura, J., Matsuura, K., Hatta, S., 2000. A new concept for the cataract correction of astigmatism: full-arc, depth-dependent astigmatic keratotomy. Ophthalmology, 107:95-104.

[2] Gills, J.P., 1994. Cataract surgery with a single relaxing incision at the steep meridian. J Cataract Refract Surg, 20:368-369.

[3] Guyton, D.L., 1985. Prescribing Cylinders Postoperatively. Year Book Ophthalmol. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago, p.63-66.

[4] Hoffer, K.J., 1980. Biometry of 7500 cataractous eyes. Am J Ophthalmol, 90:360-368.

[5] Lever, J., Dahan, E., 2000. Opposite clear corneal incision to correct pre-existing astigmatism in cataract surgery. J Cataract Refract Surg, 26:803-805.

[6] Leyland, M., Zinicola, E., Bloom, P., 2001. Prospective evaluation of a plate haptic toric intraocular lens. Eye, 15:202-205.

[7] Lindstrom, R.L., Lindquist, T.D., 1988. Surgical correction of postoperative astigmatism. Cornea, 7:138-148.

[8] Lyhne, N., Hansen, T.E., Corydon, L., 1998. Relationship between preoperative axis of astigmatism and postoperative astigmatic changes after superior scleral incision phacoemulsification. J Cataract Refract Surg, 24:935-939.

[9] Muller-Jensen, K., Fischer, P., Slepe, U., 1999. Limbal relaxing incisions to correct stigmatism in clear corneal cataract surgery. J Refract Surg, 15:586-589.

[10] Sun, X.Y., Vicary, D., Montgomery, P., 2000. Toric intraocular lenses for correcting astigmatism in 130 eyes. Ophthalmology, 107:1776-1781.