Asymmetric Corneal Flattening Effect After Small Incision Cataract Surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the flattening effect of corneal incisions differs between the right and left eye.


METHODS
A retrospective study of preoperative and postoperative corneal astigmatism was performed for patients who had bilateral cataract surgery by a right-handed surgeon. The change in corneal astigmatism was attributed to the 2.2-mm phacoemulsification incision, and the incisional flattening effect was calculated. The incisions were grouped by position on the eye and whether they were performed on the preoperative steep corneal meridian.


RESULTS
A total of 1,298 eyes of 649 patients were evaluated. The flattening effect of temporal 2.2-mm incisions performed on the preoperative corneal steep meridian was different for right eyes (0.53 diopters [D]) and left eyes (0.34 D) (P = .017). The flattening effect of superior 2.2-mm incisions performed on the preoperative corneal steep meridian was equivalent in the two eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
The flattening effect of a corneal incision may depend on whether it has been performed on the right or the left eye. [J Refract Surg. 2016;32(9):598-603.].
Noel
N
Alpins
James K Y
JK
Ong
George
G
Stamatelatos
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019781:Corneal Topography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology