COMPARISON OF POST-OPERATIVE ASTIGMATISM FOLLOWING PHACOEMULSIFICATION WITH SUTURED VERSUS UN-SUTURED WOUND CLOSURE

Abstract

Objectives: To compare corneal astigmatism induced by sutured and sutureless wound closure of the main incision, after phacoemulsification, in patients attending the Eye department, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
Design: Quasi experimental study
Place and duration of study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi, from 20th May, 2006 to 19th May, 2007.
Patients and Methods: Sixty patients were included in this study divided in two equal groups. Phacoemulsification with foldable IOL was done in all patients by the same surgeon with same surgical technique. Main incision was closed with a single suture in group A and left sutureless with stromal hydration in group B. Keratometry was performed preoperatively, at day one and 4 weeks post operatively.
Results: Postoperative astigmatism in sutured and sutureless groups at the end of first week was (1.00 D +/- 0.38) and (0.88 D +/- 0.35) respectively. At one month postoperatively astigmatism was (0.76 +/- 0.43) and (0.66 +/- 0.32) respectively in the two groups. There was statistically no significant difference between the postoperative astigmatism at one month between the two groups (p> 0.05).
Conclusion: There is statistically no significant difference between post-operative astigmatism after phacoemulsification between a 3.2 mm self-sealing incision whether closed without suture or secured by a single suture.