Final incision size after cataract surgery with toric intraocular lens implantation using 2 techniques

PURPOSE
To analyze the changes in incision sizes after implantation of a toric intraocular lens (IOL) using 2 methods.

SETTING
Department of Ophthalmology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.

DESIGN
Prospective case series.

METHODS
Coaxial phacoemulsification and IOL implantation through a 2.2 mm clear corneal incision using a cartridge injector were performed. Wound-assisted or cartridge-insertion techniques were used to implant the IOLs.

The results were analyzed according to IOL spherical and cylindrical powers. Corneal hysteresis (CH) and the corneal resistance factor (CRF) were measured and evaluated based on the changes in incision size.

RESULTS
Incision size increased in 30 (41.7%) of 72 eyes in the wound-assisted group and 71 (98.6%) of 72 eyes in the cartridge-insertion group. The mean incision size after IOL implantation was 2.27 mm ± 0.06 (SD) and 2.37 ± 0.05 mm, respectively (P<.01).

The final incision size and IOL spherical power in the wound-assisted technique group (P=.02) and the cartridge-insertion technique group (P=.03) were correlated significantly; IOL toricity was not (P=.19 and P=.28, respectively). The CH and CRF values were not correlated with the final incision size.

CONCLUSIONS
The final incision size and the changes in incision size after IOL implantation were greater with the cartridge-insertion technique than with the wound-assisted technique.

The increase was related to IOL spherical power in both groups but not to IOL toricity. Corneal biomechanical properties were not correlated with the final incision size.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO  J Cataract Refract Surg. 2013 Nov;39(11):1675-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2013.04.039. Epub 2013 Aug 22.