AIM:To investigate the effect of the size of cataract surgical incision on original astigmatism and tear film stability of corrected cornea.

METHODS: Totally 92 cataract patients(92 eyes)who were admitted to our hospital from July 2014 to July 2016 were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group, 46 cases(46 eyes)in each group. Both groups were treated by clear corneal tunnel incision phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation. The incision of the control group was 3.0mm while of the observation group was 1.8mm. The uncorrected visual acuity, corneal astigmatism, Schirmer I test(SⅠt)and break-up time(BUT)were detected before surgery and at 1d, 1wk, 1mo and 3mo after surgery. The surgery induced astigmatism(SIA)was recorded at 1d, 1wk, 1 and 3mo after surgery.

RESULTS: There were significant differences in the uncorrected visual acuity between the two groups at 1 and 3mo before surgery(P<0.05), but there were no significant differences at different time points before and after surgery(P>0.05). At 1wk, 1 and 3mo after surgery, SIA of two groups decreased continuously, and the SIA of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group at 1d, 1wk and 1mo after surgery(P<0.05). At 1wk after surgery, SⅠt and BUT in the two groups were less or shorter than those before surgery(P<0.05), but there were no significant differences at 1mo, 3mo after surgery, compared with those before surgery(P>0.05). SⅠt and BUT in the observation group were less or shorter than those in the control group at 1wk after surgery(P<0.05)but there were no significant differences at 1 and 3mo after surgery(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Compared with 3.0mm standard incision, 1.8mm clear corneal incision can reduce SIA and shorten the time for corneal stability recovery.