Comparison of Conventional Limbal Relaxing Incisions and Femtosecond Laser Arcuate Incisions for Correction of Astigmatism at Time of Cataract Surgery
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
Compare results between two methods of performing incisional surgery for correction of low to moderate astigmatism at the time of astigmatism.
Methods
In 50 astigmatic eyes undergoing cataract surgery, half received conventional, bladed LRIs (conventional group), while the other 25 had femtosecond laser arcuate incisions created with the B+L Victus laser system (laser group). In both groups, the treatments were guided by intraoperative aberrometry, which was used either to guide incision placement (conventional group) or to guide incremental opening of the arcuate incisions (laser group). The primary outcome measure is the reduction in astigmatism from preop to 1 month postop.
Results
There was no statistically significant difference in the mean preoperative keratometric astigmatism between the conventional group (1.11 D ± 0.53 D) and the laser group (1.06 D ± 0.26 D). Postoperatively, mean residual refractive astigmatism was 0.44 D ± 0.46 D in the conventional group and 0.21 D ± 0.28 D in the laser group (p < 0.03).
Conclusion
Femtosecond laser arcuate incisions, when selectively opened based on intraoperative aberrometry, provide greater reduction in astigmatism and a tighter standard deviation of the refractive result compared to conventional, bladed LRIs guided by intraoperative aberrometry.