The use of toric intraocular lens to correct astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the visual and refractive outcomes of cataract surgery with toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at a teaching hospital of the United Kingdom.

DESIGN

Prospective interventional case series.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This study compared the outcome of 3 groups of patients: Group 1 included 25 eyes with cataract and more than 2.5 diopters (D) of corneal astigmatism receiving a toric monofocal IOL; Group 2 had 18 patients with cataract and more than 2.5 D of astigmatism but receiving a non-toric monofocal IOL; while Group 3 had 25 patients with cataract and less than 1.5 D of astigmatism and receiving a non-toric monofocal IOL. Data collected included uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuities, refraction and corneal keratometry. Postoperative examinations were scheduled at 1 and 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Postoperatively the mean UDVA was LogMAR 0.27 ± 0.20 (equivalent snellen acuity of 20/37) in Group 1, 0.54 ± 0.22 (20/69) in Group 2 and 0.16 ± 0.20 (20/29) in Group 3. The mean CDVA was LogMAR 0.08 ± 0.13 (20/24) in Group 1, 0.23 ± 0.16 (20/34) in Group 2 and 0.04 ± 0.13 in Group 3 (20/22). The mean preoperative keratometric cylinder was 3.78 ± 1.0 D in Group 1, 3.41 ± 1.47 D in Group 2 and 0.97 ± 0.43D in Group 3; the mean postoperative subjective cylinder was 1.2 ± 0.68 D in Group 1, 3.23 ± 1.41 D in Group 2 and 0.95 ± 0.58 D in Group 3. The difference was statistically significant for the postoperative refractive cylinder values when comparing Group 1 to Group 2 (P = <0.0001) but the difference was insignificant between Group 1 and Group 3 (P = 0.23).

CONCLUSION

Toric IOL implantation is an effective option to manage corneal astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery and to optimise visual outcomes for astigmatic patients when comparing to outcomes for their non-astigmatic counterparts.