[Limbal relaxing incisions to correct preexisting astigmatism during cataract surgery].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of limbal relaxing incisions for correcting significant preoperative astigmatism during cataract surgery.

METHODS

In 32 patients (50 eyes) with preoperative keratometric astigmatism between 1.25 and 2.5 D, cataract surgery was combined with limbal relaxing incisions according to a modified Gills nomogram.

RESULTS

The mean preoperative keratometric astigmatism was 1.6 (+/- 0.39) D. The mean preoperative manifest refraction was 1.26 ((+/- 0.39) D. The mean 1-month, 6-month and 3-year or more postoperative keratometric astigmatisms were 0.77 ((+/- 0.29), 0.84 ((+/- 0.5) and 0.86 ((+/- 0.32) D, respectively. The mean postoperative manifest refractions were 0.48 ((+/- 0.32), 0.55 ((+/- 0.29) and 0.54 ((+/- 0.29) D, respectively. Postoperative refractive astigmatisms were 0 or 0.25 D in 22% of the cases, 0.5 or 0.75 D in 64% and greater than 0.75 D in 14%. Conclusion.- Limbal relaxing incisions are an effective and simple approach to the correction of significant preoperative astigmatism during cataract surgery.