AIM:To investigate the effects of 1.8mm coaxial micro incision phacoemulsification on corneal endothelial injury and postoperative visual acuity.

METHODS: Totally 145 eyes in 120 patients underwent phacoemulsification from July 2013 to July 2015 were randomly divided into observation group 60 cases(73 eyes)and control group 60 cases(72 eyes). The observation group 60 cases were given 1.8mm coaxial micro incision cataract phacoemulsification operation, while the control group were given traditional 3.2mm coaxial micro incision cataract surgery. The uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA), best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), corneal thickness of incision area, incision width, incision length, macular retinal thickness, surgically induced astigmatism, corneal endothelial cell counts and complications of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS: The UCVA and BCVA on 1wk after surgery of the observation group were significantly higher than the control group(t=3.604, 7.109; P<0.05); the width of incision on 1wk and 1mo after surgery of the observation group were significantly less than the control group(t=205.3, 225.2; P<0.05). The length of incision in observation group was significantly greater than the control group(t=3.926, 5.009; P<0.05). Macular retinal thickness 1wk after surgery of the observation group was significantly less than the control group(t=2.817, P<0.05). The surgically induced astigmatism was significantly less than the control group(t=19.43, 22.16; P<0.01); the difference of corneal edema between the two groups was not significant(8.22% vs 11.11%)(χ²=0.348, P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: The 1.8mm micro incision phacoemulsification is helpful to improve the visual acuity of patients with cataract phacoemulsification, which may be related to the reduction of corneal cell injury, enhancement of corneal closure and decrease post-operation corneal original astigmatism.