Comparison of two different methods of preoperative marking for toric intraocular lens implantation: bubble marker versus pendulum marker.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the accuracy of two different methods of preoperative marking for toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, bubble marker versus pendulum marker, as a means of establishing the reference point for the final alignment of the toric IOL to achieve an outcome as close as possible to emmetropia.


METHODS
Toric IOLs were implanted in 180 eyes of 110 patients. One group (55 patients) had preoperative marking of both eyes done with bubble marker (ASICO AE-2791TBL) and the other group (55 patients) with pendulum marker (Rumex(®)3-193). Reference marks were placed at 3-, 6-, and 9-o'clock positions on the limbus. Slit-lamp photographs were analyzed using Adobe Photoshop (version 7.0). Amount of alignment error (in degrees) induced in each group was measured.


RESULTS
Mean absolute rotation error in the preoperative marking in the horizontal axis was 2.42±1.71 in the bubble marker group and 2.83±2.31in the pendulum marker group (P=0.501). Sixty percent of the pendulum group and 70% of the bubble group had rotation error ≤3 (P=0.589), and 90% eyes of the pendulum group and 96.7% of the bubble group had rotation error ≤5 (P=0.612).


CONCLUSIONS
Both preoperative marking techniques result in approximately 3 of alignment error. Both marking techniques are simple, predictable, reproducible and easy to perform.
Cataract and IOL Services, Shroff Eye Center, New Delhi 110048, India.
Javed Hussain
JH
Farooqui
Cataract and IOL Services, Shroff Eye Center, New Delhi 110048, India.
Archana
A
Koul
Cataract and IOL Services, Shroff Eye Center, New Delhi 110048, India.
Ranjan
R
Dutta
Cataract and IOL Services, Shroff Eye Center, New Delhi 110048, India.
Noshir Minoo
NM
Shroff
bubble marker; pendulum marker; toric intraocular lens