VARIATION IN CLEAR CORNEA INCISION SIZE AFTER PHACOEMULSIFICATION ANDFOLDABLE LENS IMPLANTATION

Purpose: To study the changes in clear cornea incision sire after phac oemulsification and implantation of a three-piece, silicone, foldable intraocular lens (IOL). Setting: Departamento de Oftalmologia, Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. Methods: In this prospecti ve study, phacoemulsification with implantation of a foldable IOL (AMO SI-30NB) was performed in 133 eyes. Surgery was carried out by four s urgeons who implanted the IOL with the same forceps. The external inci sion size was measured before and after phacoemulsification and irriga tion/aspiration and before and after IOL implantation. Results: Before phacoemulsification, the mean incision size was 3.07 mm; after phacoe mulsification and irrigation/aspiration, it enlarged to 3.09 mm (P = . 001). The mean incision size before foldable IOL implantation was 3.16 mm, and after implantation it increased to 3.32 mm (P = .0001). When the IOL was less than 22.0 diopters (D), the final incision size was 3 .31 mm +/- 0.11 (SD); when the IOL was 22.0 to 26.0 D, the final size was 3.32 +/- 9.01 mm; and when the IOL was 26.0 D or more, the final s ize was 3.39 +/- 0.08 mm (P = .01). Conclusions: Phacoemulsification a nd foldable IOL implantation enlarged the size of the clear cornea inc ision in this study. The IOL power may be a significant factor in dete rmining the minimal incision size prior to IOL insertion and the final incision size.