title: Safety and Efficacy of the Transition from Extracapsular Cataract Extraction to Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery in Prevention of Blindness Campaigns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the safety and the visual outcomes of two experienced cataract surgeons who converted from extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) to manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) during a campaign for the prevention of blindness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two surgeons used the ECCE technique (ECCE group) during a campaign in Burkina Faso on 93 consecutive cataract patients with a corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) <20/80 in the best eye. Both surgeons used MSICS for the first time on 98 consecutive cases in another campaign in Kenya after theoretical instructional courses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in CDVA at 3 months postoperatively. There were 69% of eyes with uncorrected distance visual acuity ≥20/60 in the MSICS group and 49% eyes in the ECCE group. Spherical equivalents ranged between -1D and +1D in 55% of the MSICS group versus 43% in the ECCE group. There were significant differences in the changes in the vertical component of astigmatism (J45) but not the horizontal (J0) component. There were no significant differences in the intraoperative complications. The most common postoperative complication was corneal edema on the first day in 40.86% and 19.38% of the ECCE and MSICS groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transitioning from ECCE to MSICS for experienced cataract surgeons in surgical campaigns is safe. The rate of complications is similar for both techniques. Slightly better visual and refractive outcomes can be achieved due to the decreased induction of corneal astigmatism.
authors.affiliation: Vision Without Borders, Calpe, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Signes-Soler
authors.affiliation: Clinica Baviera, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Javaloy
authors.affiliation: Centro Oftalmológico Marqués de Sotelo, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Clinica Baviera, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.affiliation: Clinica Baviera, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montalbán
authors.affiliation: Centro Oftalmológico Marqués de Sotelo, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albarrán
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Blindness; Cataract Surgery; Extracapsular Cataract Extraction; Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery; Visual Impairment