AIM: To compare the efficacy of different locations scleral tunnel incision in phacoemulsification cataract on preoperative corneal astigmatism.

METHODS:Totally 90 patients(94 eyes)in our hospital who had undergone the phaco-surgery from March 2013 to October 2014 were divided into two groups. The group A was those with 3.2mm scleral tunnel incision at the direction of 10:00～11:00 points. The group B was those with 3.2mm scleral tunnel incision at the steepest corneal meridian. Incision was not sutured. Corneal astigmatism status of preoperative and postoperative at different times were detected by corneal refractive. The impact of different surgical incision on postoperative corneal astigmatism was compared. In the two groups,patients with preoperative corneal astigmatism<1.00D, 1.00～2.00D and >2.00D were compared respectively. The changes of the uncorrected visual acuity and corneal astigmatism at postoperative 1wk, 1 and 3mo were observed.

RESULTS: The uncorrected visual acuity of the patients who were in the group B preoperative corneal astigmatism <1.00D and 1.00～2.00D was better than that in the group A. The postoperative corneal astigmatism of the patients who were in the group B preoperative corneal astigmatism <1.00D was lower than that in the group A.

CONCLUSION: On the basis of preoperative corneal astigmatism, 3.2mm scleral tunnel incision at the steepest corneal meridian to some extent can correct preoperative corneal astigmatism <1.00D, and accordingly improve the uncorrected visual acuity.