AIM: To compare the influence of anterior chamber maintainer and viscoelastic agent on corneal astigmatism and endothelial cells after phacoemulsification.

METHODS: Totally 70 patients(70 eyes)of cataract from April 2013 to April 2015 were randomly divided into the study group and the control group, with 35 cases in each group. The study group were treated with anterior chamber maintainer during phacoemulsification with support system approach, and the control group were treated with phacoemulsification under viscoelastic agent.

RESULTS:The age(t=0.215, P=0.831), the density of corneal endothelial cells(t=-0.352, P=0.726)and corneal luminosity(t=-0.162, P=0.872)of two groups had no significant difference before surgery; there were no significant difference in preoperative visual acuity(t=0.463, P=0.599)and visual acuity(t=1.616, P=0.124)at 1mo after operation. And patients in the study group(t=-21.129, P<0.01)and the control group(t=-12.780, P<0.01)before surgery and 1mo postoperative when compared with the naked eye eyesight showed significant difference. The visual acuity after operations improved significantly. There were significant differences of corneal endothelial cells density(t=8.489, P< 0.01)and corneal astigmatism(t=-2.032, P=0.046)in the study group before surgery and 1mo after surgery; corneal endothelial cell density(t=8.999, P<0.01)and corneal astigmatism(t=-2.167, P=0.034)in the control group before surgery and 1mo after surgery also had significant differences. There was no significant difference in the rate of corneal endothelial cell loss between the two groups(t=0.410, P=0.683).

CONCLUSION: Compared with viscoelastic agent, anterior chamber maintainer during phacoemulsification in patients with cataract won't increase the damage of postoperative surgically induced astigmatism and corneal endothelial cells, which mean the method of anterior chamber maintainer during phacoemulsification in the treatment of cataract is safe and effective.