Effect of Different Scleral Incisions in Small Incision Cataract Surgery on Post-Operative Astigmatism: A Prospective Study

Abstract

To Study The Tunnel Incision Forms (Frown Versus Straight Versus Bluementhal Cuts) In  Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery And Find Out Which Incision Creates More Corneal Astigmatism. Hundred Eyes Of 100 Patients Who Had Assented  To Undergo Cataract Surgery After Written Informed Consent In Their Regional Language  And To Participate In This Study Were Followed Preoperatively And Through 4 Week Postoperative Period. Values Of Preoperative And Postoperative Corneal Astigmatism For100 Eyes, Measured With A Topcon Autorefractokeratometer, Were Obtained From The Patients’ Cataract Surgery Records. Visual Acuity Was Measuredpre-Operatively And At Each Postoperative Visit. Patients Undergoing Sics With Straight Incision Had Significantly Greater Astigmatism Than Frown Incision And Incision With Bluementhal Cuts  On All Post-Operative Follow Ups (P Value < 0.0001).The Best Corrected Visual Acuity In Patients With Straight Incision Was Significantly Worse Than Frown And Bluementhal Cuts  In All The Post-Operative Visits(P Value<0.0001).

The Best Corrected Visual Acuity In Patients Undergoing Sics With Frown And Bluementhal Cuts On All Post-Operative Follow Ups Was Not Significantly Different. We Conclude That Frown And Incision With Bluementhal Cuts Provide Lesser Astigamatism And Faster Rehabilitation Of Vision. Bluementhal Cuts Provide Larger Tunnel And Are Easy To Construct As Compared To Frown Incision And Hence Can Replace Straight Incision.