AIM: To compare the effectiveness of incision suture and no suture in small incision non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

METHODS: Totally 420 patients 477 eyes with cataract underwent small incision non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery through sclera tunnel incision(6-7mm)and implanted rigidly artificial crystal(The diameter was 5.5 mm), the incisions of 205 patients 230 eyes(group A)with cataract were symmetrically sutured two needles, the incisions of 215 patients 247 eyes(group B)with cataract were not sutured. Bare eye vision and corneal astigmatism were observed at postoperative 2 days and 3 months.

RESULTS: At postoperative 2 days, bare eye sight or the best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)through spherical mirrors ≥0.5 was in193 eyes(83.9%)in group A and in 190 eyes(76.9%)in group B, at postoperative 3 months, bare eye sight or BCVA by spherical mirrors ≥0.5 was in 205 eyes(89.1%)in group A and in 198 eyes(80.2%)in group B, there was statistical difference in vision changes at postoperative 2 days and 3 months between two groups(P < 0.05); At postoperative 2 days, mean corneal astigmatism was 1.53±0.59D in group A and 1.85±0.97D in group B, at postoperative 3 months, mean corneal astigmatism was 1.05±0.43D in group A and 1.31±0.65D in group B, there was statistical difference in mean corneal astigmatism at postoperative 2 days and 3 months between two groups(P < 0.01); In group A there were no postoperative complications such as incision leakage, shallow anterior chamber, iris encephaloceles or iris embedded in sclera incision, etc; but in group B there were 3 eyes(1.21%)with incision leakage and shallow anterior chamber after operation and 4 eyes(1.62%)with iris encephaloceles and iris embedded in sclera incision at postoperative one day.

CONCLUSION: Incision suture in small incision non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery has better visual recovery, less corneal astigmatism and more safe than that no suture.