IMPACT OF OPPOSITE CLEAR CORNEAL INCISION ON CORNEAL SENSITIVITY

To evaluate the impact of an opposite clear corneal incisions during phacoemulsification on the corneal sensitivity and tear production.

Prospective non blinded preliminary study

The study included two groups of cataract patients: OCCI-Group having less than 1.50 D preopertive corneal astigmatism and expecting more than 1,0 D postoperative residual astigmatism. Their routine phacoemulsification was completed by additional opposite clear corneal incision. SCCI-Group comprised of patients who underwent phacoemulsification with a single clear corneal incision (SCCI-group). Sensitivity of the central cornea (CS) by Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer, tear production (Schirmer II at 1 and 5 minutes: ST1 and ST5) and tear film stability (BUT) were evaluated before the surgery on the day one postoperative visit. To statistically compare the groups, Prisma for Windows version 6.01 sofware and Student t-test or Mann-Withney test were used.

Thirteen and 33 patients were enrolled into the OCCI- and SCCI groups, respectively, The groups didn’t differed preoperatively neither in demographic data (age: 68,5 vs 70,1; p=0,56; male/female=10/23 vs 4/9) nor in measured parameters. Concerning the observed parameters, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups: CS: 52,3 vs 50,5; p=0,76; BUT: 8,7 vs 10,9; p=0,24; ST1: 7,8 vs 6,2; p=0,73; ST2: 15,5 vs 14,3; p= 0,99 .

Our preliminary results with small sample size suggest that OCCI is not likely to cause more demage in corneal innervation and to induce more severe dry eye problems than a single clear corneal incision.