J Retin.  2023 Nov;8(2):99-104. 10.21561/jor.2023.8.2.99.

Clinical Results According to Site of Clear Corneal Incision in Combined Vitrectomy and Cataract Surgery

• Jang JY
• Moon TK
• Ji YS

• KMID: 2552096
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21561/jor.2023.8.2.99

Abstract

Purpose
To compare results from a superior clear corneal incision and a steep axis corneal incision in combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery.
Methods
This was a retrospective study of 40 eyes that received combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery due to an epiretinal membrane. Patients were divided into two groups according to incision location (group 1, 20 eyes with a superior clear corneal incision; group 2, 20 eyes with a steep axial clear corneal incision). Corneal astigmatism, uncorrected visual acuity, and best-corrected visual acuity were investigated before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, and surgically-induced astigmatism (SIA) and absolute change in astigmatism were analyzed 1 month after surgery.
Results
At 1 month after surgery, SIA was 0.86 ± 0.62 diopters (D), and astigmatism caused by surgery increased by 0.31 ± 0.25 D in group 1. In group 2, SIA was 0.59 ± 0.50 D and astigmatism caused by surgery decreased by 0.15 ± 0.50 D. Uncorrected visual acuity was 0.32 ± 0.18 and, 0.16 ± 0.13 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, which was a significant difference (p = 0.004). The two groups also differed significantly in corneal astigmatism measured 3 and 6 months postoperatively (p < 0.001), but they did not differ in uncorrected visual acuity and best corrected visual acuity.
Conclusions
A clear corneal incision on the steep axis during vitrectomy and combined cataract surgery is effective in early recovery of uncorrected visual acuity for patients with a good visual prognosis.

Keyword

Astigmatism; Cataract; Incision; Vitrectomy