title: Limbal relaxing incisions to correct corneal astigmatism during phacoemulsification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of limbal relaxing incisions for the correction of corneal astigmatism during phacoemulsification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty eyes of 37 patients (mean age 66.5 years, range: 45 to 80 years) with cataract and coexisting topographic astigmatism were included in the study. Eyes were randomly divided into two groups: eyes that underwent cataract surgery with limbal relaxing incisions (cataract LRI group) and eyes that underwent cataract surgery only (control group). All limbal relaxing incisions were performed during phacoemulsification. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), and corneal topography were recorded preoperatively and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant improvement in BSCVA was seen in the cataract LRI eyes from 0.9 +/- 0.7 preoperatively to 0.1 +/- 0.1 at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively (P < .01). A statistically significant improvement in BSCVA was seen in control eyes from 0.8 +/- 0.6 before surgery to 0.2 +/- 0.2 at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery (P < .01). No difference in postoperative BSCVA was noted between the groups. A statistically significant reduction in the mean topographic astigmatism was seen in the cataract LRI eyes from 1.93 +/- 0.58 diopters (D) preoperatively to 1.02 +/- 0.60 D 6 months postoperatively (P < .05). The control eyes did not show a statistically significant change in topographic astigmatism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limbal relaxing incisions performed during phacoemulsification surgery appear to be a safe, effective, and stable procedure to reduce pre-existing corneal astigmatism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo (Paulista School of Medicine), São Paulo, Brazil. mario@isoolhos.com.br
authors.forename: Mário José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Solange Higashitani
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Lincoln Lemes
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Bruno Castelo
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Branco
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schor
authors.forename: Ana Luiza Hoffling
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005139:Eyeglasses; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014792:Visual Acuity