Partial Versus Full Thickness Limbal Relaxing Incisions During Phacoemulsification For Treatment Of With-The-Rule Astigmatism In Senile Cataract

Published 2022 - 40th Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO426 | Type: ESCRS 2022 - Posters | DOI: 10.82333/ww87-cw55

Authors: Nader Nassiri* ¹ , Sara Kavousnezhad ² , Kourosh Sheibani ³

¹Imam Hossein Medical Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ²Vanak Eye Surgery Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ³Basir Eye Health Research Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Purpose

To compare the use of partial thickness and full thickness limbal relaxing incisions (LRI) during phacoemulsification for treatment of with-the-rule astigmatism in senile cataract patients.

Setting

Vanak Eye Surgery Center, Tehran, Iran.

Methods

In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 88 older than 65 years patients with by the rule astigmatism cylinder of over 1.25 were randomly divided and either received two partial thickness or one partial thickness and one full thickness corneal incision in limbus area to correct their astigmatism.

Results

One month postoperatively the mean BCVA (P=0.12) and UCVA (P=0.011) correction was higher in the partial thickness group but this difference was not significant at six months. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding spectacle independence, photophobia, foreign body sensation and patient satisfaction.

Conclusions

Since a full thickness LRI might lead to complications (leakage, endophthalmitis) in rare

cases and does not result in better astigmatism correction it is suggested that partial thickness LRI should be considered as the preferred method.