AIM: To observe the influence of clear corneal incisions on the corneal astigmatism after phacoemulsification.

METHODS: 3.0mm clear corneal incision was done on the steep axis before phacoemulsification according to the test results of the IOL-Master in 42 eyes as the observation group(group A). Conventional upper-temporal(right eye)or upper-nasal(left eye)3.0mm clear corneal incisions were done in 68 eyes as control group(group B). Changes of corneal astigmatism of preoperative and postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and months were observed.

RESULTS: Preoperative and postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months visual acuity of group A was 0.2±0.24, 0.73±0.37, 0.78±0.38, 0.94±0.36; Group B, 0.17±0.2, 0.82±0.3, 0.84±0.2, 0.77±0.26, 0.8±0.36; The difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). Corneal astigmatism of preoperative and postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months in group A were 1.01±0.10D, 1.33±0.13D, 1.15±0.14D, 0.90±0.13D and 0.89±0.12D; B group were 0.95±0.13D, 1.25±0.15D, 1.07±0.13D, 0.87±0.12D and 0.82±0.11D. Compared with the preoperative astigmatism, the changes of astigmatism on postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 1 month of two group had no statistical difference(P>0.05). The differences of astigmatism change before and 3 months postoperatively between two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05). There were 21 eyes(50%)in group A and 32 eyes(47%)in group B respectively whose uncorrected visual acuity ≥0.8, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Steep axis clear corneal incision cataract phacoemulsification could help reduce postoperative astigmatism and improve visual acuity accordingly.