AIM: To explore and compare effect of coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification and standard coaxial phacoemulsification in the treatment of cataract.

METHODS: A total of 88 patients(88 eyes)with senile cataract who underwent selective cataract ultrasonic emulsification resorption combined with intraocular lens implantation in the hospital from Aug. 2013 and Aug. 2015 were selected, they were divided randomly into the control group(44 cases, 38 cases completed, 6 cases dropped out)and the observation group(44 cases, 40 cases completed, 4 cases dropped out). The control group received standard coaxial 3.0mm small incision phacoemulsification, the observation group received coaxial 1.8mm micro-incision phacoemulsification. All patients were combined with intraocular lens implantation. Intraoperative effective ultrasonic time, cumulative release energy, best corrected visual acuity before and after surgery in the two groups were recorded, corneal endothelium cell population, incision corneal thickness, percentage of cornea hexagon cell, corneal astigmatism changes before the operation, 1d, 7d, 30d after the operation were compared.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in intraoperative effective ultrasonic time, cumulative release energy in the two groups(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative best corrected visual acuity between the two groups(P>0.05). Corneal endothelium cell population, percentage of cornea hexagon cell 1d, 7d, 30d after the operation in the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before the treatment(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the two groups(P>0.05). Incision corneal thickness 30d after the operation in the observation group was significantly lower than the control group(P<0.05). Degree of corneal astigmatism in the observation group 1d, 7d, and 30d after the operation were significantly lower than the control group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification and standard coaxial phacoemulsification can improve visual acuity of cataract patients, but the former can reduce degree of corneal astigmatism.