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Long‐term natural and modified course of surgically induced astigmatism after extracapsular cataract extraction
Author(s) -
StorrPaulsen Allan,
Vangsted Peter,
Perriard Andreas
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1994.tb07189.x
Subject(s) - meridian (astronomy) , medicine , astigmatism , ophthalmology , fibrous joint , surgery , cataract extraction , optics , physics , astronomy
A prospective study was carried out to investigate the long‐term course of surgically induced astigmatism after extracapsular cataract extraction. Sixty‐one eyes were followed for 36 months. In 27 eyes with postoperative astigmatism > 4D widi‐the‐rule, one or two sutures were cut in the steeper meridian after 3 months. In another group of 34 eyes with only minor or no postoperative astigmatism with‐the‐rule, no suture was cut. We found that 1) postoperative astigmatism was significantly increased in all eyes after 1 week and 3 months, but decreased in time approaching preoperative values after 3 years, 2) surgically induced astigmatism was with‐the‐rule at 1 week and 3 months but turned against‐the‐rule in rime in both groups. Astigmatism decay rate was significantly steeper in eyes with suture cutting, 3) the keratometric axis was exclusively with‐the‐rule after 1 week, but turned against‐the‐rule in both groups, approaching the preoperative distribution of axis after 3 years. We concluded that surgically induced astigmatism is a dynamic feature showing changes in size and axis even in the period 1–3 years postoperatively. Suture cutting seems to intensify the decrease in the induced astigmatism and accelerate the shift in astigmatic axis, turning astigmatism against‐the‐rule compared to eyes with intact sutures.