Limbal relaxing incisions to correct astigmatism in clear corneal cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To prevent surgically induced astigmatism following clear corneal cataract surgery.


METHODS
Limbal relaxing incisions of 6- or 8-mm length and 0.55-microm depth were performed in 52 patients (52 eyes) with a spherical cornea (20 eyes) or mean with-the-rule astigmatism (32 eyes) of 0.80 +/- 0.30 D after temporal corneal cataract incision. A control group (47 eyes; 19 spherical and 28 with-the-rule astigmatism) underwent the same surgical procedure without limbal relaxing incisions.


RESULTS
Six months after surgery, mean with-the-wound change using the Holladay analysis was -0.08 +/- 0.50 D in spherical eyes with limbal relaxing incisions and +0.50 +/- 0.70 D in control eyes. Patients with preoperative with-the-rule astigmatism showed a mean with-the-wound change of -0.09 +/- 0.50 D after limbal relaxing incisions; in corresponding control eyes, mean change was +0.39 +/- 0.70 D.


CONCLUSIONS
Limbal relaxing incisions are a reliable and safe procedure to reduce postoperative astigmatism.
Müller-Jensen
K
K
Augenklinik des Städtischen Klinikums, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Fischer
P
P
Siepe
U
U
D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome