title: Effect of superior and temporal clear corneal incisions on astigmatism after sutureless phacoemulsification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of superior and temporal clear corneal incisions on astigmatism after sutureless, small incision phacoemulsification.
  
  
  METHODS
  World Eye Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study evaluated 40 eyes of 20 patients with cataract having bilateral, sutureless, small incision phacoemulsification by the same surgeon. A superior clear corneal incision was used in all right eyes and a temporal clear corneal incision in all left eyes. Mean preoperative astigmatism was 0.63 diopter (D) +/- 0.21 (SD) and 0.65 +/- 0.20 D, respectively. Mean patient age was 66.45 years. Patients were examined preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 and 3 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three months postoperatively, mean astigmatism was 1.60 +/- 0.37 D in the superior incision group and 0.83 +/- 0.19 D in the temporal incision group. Induced astigmatism calculated by vector analysis was 1.44 +/- 0.31 D and 0.62 +/- 0.28 D, respectively. The temporal incision group had significantly lower astigmatism at all follow-ups (P = .000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Upper lid pressure on the superior corneal incisions led to fluctuating, against-the-rule astigmatism that was significantly higher than that induced by temporal incisions.
authors.affiliation: Yüzüncü Yil Universitesi Tip Fak Hastanesi, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yaşar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirok
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cinal
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects*