Abstract

MONTEJO VALDES, Ricardo et al. Prognostic factors of induced corneal astigmatism in patients operated on from cataract by the tunnel technique. Rev Cubana Oftalmol [online]. 2008, vol.21, n.2, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3070.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the corneal anatomical factors and the transoperative factors by the tunnel technique of cataract surgery that gives rise to induced astigmatism. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal and descriptive research study. The universe of study was made up of 120 eyes from patients seen at the opthalmological service of "Hermanos Ameijeiras" Clinical and Surgical hospital from December, 2005 to October, 2006. They had been operated on from senile cataract and had an intraocular lens implanted in the posterior chamber, which was calculated by SRK formula for emetrophy. A preoperative ophtalmological examination and a postoperative testing two months after surgery were made on these patients. Reference was made to induced astigmatism, its relation with corneal anatomical factors and with transoperative factors. The evaluation of induced astigmatism, the postoperative spherical defect and the preoperative keratometric astigmatism were evaluated by using qualitative and quantitative indicators. RESULTS: Induced astigmatism after two months was 1.42 dioptries, which increased in the anterior incision and was not self-sealable. This type of astigmatism was over 2 dioptres if the depth of the tunnel was superficial or deep, with significant p. The greater preoperative astigmatism, the higher postoperative spherical value. CONCLUSIONS: The superficial non self-sealable anterior sclerocorneal incision causes induced astigmatism. The complications also facilitate this process. Postoperative spherical defect was present in most of the patients and the highest values found were related with greater preoperative astigmatism.

Keywords : Induced corneal astigmatism; cataract's surgery.