Outcomes of temporal clear cornea versus superior scleral tunnel phacoemulsification incisions in a university training program

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the complication and visual outcomes of residents performing temporal clear cornea (TCC) compared to superior s cleral tunnel (SST) phacoemulsification, PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of complication s and visual outcomes for 534 phacoemulsification procedures done by third- year residents over a five-year period (June 1992-July 1997) at the departm ent of ophthalmology, University of Chicago. All cases were completed using a TCC or SST incision. RESULTS: There was vitreous loss in 6.0% of 348 eyes with TCC incisions and in 11.8% of 186 eyes with SST incisions (P < 0,02), Posterior capsule brea ks occurred in 11.5% of the TCC group versus 17.7% in the SST group (P < 0, 0453). Best corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 82.5 % of all eyes with TCC incisions and in 75.3% of all eyes with SST incision s (P < 0,05). When 151 patients with previous ophthalmic conditions were ex cluded, the difference in BCVA between the two groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Most institutions train residents with the SST technique prior to advancing to TCC. This study demonstrates that with proper teaching, re sidents can achieve excellent outcomes using TCC incisions, and can therefo re be trained in this technique concurrently with SST incisions.