PROSPECTIVE LONG-TERM STUDY ABOUT INDUCED ASTIGMATISM IN NO-STITCH CATARACT-SURGERY

Background: Several studies have confirmed, that the no-stitch techniq ue results in early stabilization of astigmatism. In these papers, how ever, the follow-up was quite short. Former studies about sutured corn eoscleral incisions have shown that even after some years astigmatism increased. Therefore, in this prospective study we investigated the ch ange of induced astigmatism 5 years postoperatively. Methods: The pros pective study included 66 patients with scleral tunnel incisions who w ere monitored up to 5 years. Mean age was 74.3+/-10.7 years.The incisi on length of the scleral tunnel was 7 mm. The postoperative astigmatis m was measured with keratometry after 1 day, 3 weeks, 1 year and 5 yea rs postopertively. Results: The average postoperative induced astigmat ism (PIA) as measured with a keratometer was after 1 year 0.95+/-0.83 D. After 5 years PIA was 0.96+/-0.48 D, and therefore no significant s tatistical difference could be shown. At the first postoperative day ( 0.94+/-0.73 D) the induced astigmatism was virtually stable. There was also no statistically significant difference in absolute astigmatism. After 1 day the absolute astigmatism was 0.91+/-0.73 D and after 5 ye ars 0.96+/-0.61 D. Conclusions: The contrast to former sutured corneos cleral incisions,the no-stitch technique in cataract surgery yields st able postoperative corneal astigmatism.