The Effects of Distance Between the Corneal Apex and the Inner and Outer Corneal Wound Edges on Corneal Astigmatism After Cataract Surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of the distance from the inner and outer corneal incision wounds to the corneal apex on the changes in corneal astigmatism after cataract surgery.

METHODS

Seventy-two eyes with anterior corneal astigmatism less than 2.50 diopters (D) were evaluated. The distance between the incision wound and the corneal apex was measured using the Pentacam (Oculus Optikgeräte, Wetzlar, Germany) Scheimpflug image and the Image J program (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD). Patients were subgrouped into the inner incision distance close (less than 4,816.44 µm) and far (4,816.44 µm or greater) groups based on the median value of inner incision distance and the outer incision distance close (less than 6,131.77 µm) and far (6,131.77 µm or greater) groups based on the median value of outer incision distance.

RESULTS

In the inner incision distance group, the mean change in anterior, posterior, and total corneal astigmatism at 1 week and anterior astigmatism at 1 month were statistically significantly greater in the inner incision close group than in the inner incision far group. In the outer incision distance group, the mean change in anterior corneal astigmatism at 1 week was statistically significantly greater in the close group than in the far group. Surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) of the posterior cornea showed a statistically significant increase in the inner incision close group compared to the inner incision far group 1 month postoperatively, whereas there were no significant differences in the outer incision distance groups. Inner incision distance significantly correlated with the mean change in anterior and posterior corneal astigmatism and posterior SIA at 1 week postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Corneal astigmatism was affected more by inner incision distance than outer incision distance, and a larger change in the posterior SIA was noted with decreasing inner incision distance. During cataract surgery, the position of the inner corneal incision should be considered rather than the outer incision. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(7):460-468.].