Change of Postoperative Astigmatism after 6 mm Scleral Tunnel Incision and Vertical Suture in Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Among the patients operated for cataract with phacoemulsification through 6 min scleral tunnel incision and vertical suture by one surgeon, the author analysed change of postoperative astigmatism of the 42 patients (51 eyes) the for 6 months.

The postoperative change of astigmatism was 1.92 diopter at I day, 1.20 diopter at I week, 0.60 diopter at 4 weeks to with-the-rule direction and was 0.30 diopter at 8 weeks and 0.52 diopter at 6 months to against-the-rule direction by keratometric reading. The surgically induced astigmatism of the age group older than 60 years was not signicantly different from that of the younger group.

It is concluded that the change of postoperative astigmatism after scleral tunnel incision and vertical suture in cataract surgery was totally 2.44 diopter and age did not affect the change of postoperative astigmatism.