One-Year Results of Arcuate Keratotomy in Patients With Low to Moderate Corneal Astigmatism Using a Low-Pulse-Energy Femtosecond Laser.

PURPOSE: To investigate corneal astigmatism (CA) reduction and corneal optical quality after surface-penetrating femtosecond laser arcuate keratotomies (Femto AK) considering anterior (CAant) and posterior corneal curvature (CApost), total corneal refractive power astigmatism (CAtot), and corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) through 1 year.

DESIGN: Prospective interventional case series.

METHODS: Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna. PatientPopulation: Forty-three eyes of 43 patients with age-related cataract and CAtot between 1 and 3 diopters (D).

INTERVENTION: Paired keratotomies were created with a low-energy femtosecond laser (LDV Z8; Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems, Port, Switzerland) and combined with an astigmatic neutral manual posterior-limbal cataract incision. CA and HOAs measurements were obtained preoperatively and after 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. MainOutcomeMeasure: Change of CA and HOAs after low-energy Femto AK through 1 year.

RESULTS: Mean preoperative CAant and CAtot (1.62 ± 0.49 D and 1.58 ± 0.44 D) were significantly reduced, to 0.66 ± 0.38 and 0.50 ± 0.30 D (P < .001) 1 year after surgery, respectively. CApost showed no significant change, from 0.31 ± 0.19 D preoperatively to 0.31 ± 0.13 D (P = .732) at the 1-year follow-up period. Astigmatism as calculated by vector astigmatism analysis stayed stable at 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. Corneal wavefront HOAs significantly improved at 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS: Paired surface-penetrating keratotomies created by a low-energy femtosecond laser showed efficient and stable CA reduction within 1 year after surgery. The optical quality of the cornea was preserved with lower HOAs than preoperatively.