Toric intraocular lens implantation vs. femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy for correction of moderate astigmatism in cataract surgery

Using Total Corneal Astigmatism With Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery and Arcuate Keratotomy(ies) to Treat Low Amounts of Astigmatism

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes using total corneal astigmatism (TCA) to calculate arcuate keratotomy(ies) (AK) parameters performed with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery to reduce low corneal astigmatism.

METHODS

Patients who had femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and AK with 0.50 diopter (D) to 1.30 D of TCA were included. Exclusion criteria were intraoperative complications, preexisting corneal surgery, and comorbidities that might adversely affect outcomes. Corneal tomography (Galilei G4, Zeimer Ophthalmic Systems AG) was performed preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively. TCA was input into the Donnenfeld limbal relaxing incisions nomogram to calculate the AK parameters. Preoperative and postoperative tomographic and subjective refractive measurements were compared. The Alpins method for vector analysis evaluated results.

RESULTS

Eighty-two eyes of 82 patients were included. Mean preoperative TCA was significantly reduced from 0.80 ± 0.19 D to 0.51 D ± 0.26 D ( P < 0.001). Preoperative posterior corneal astigmatism, -0.28 ± 0.13 D, was unchanged, postoperative posterior corneal astigmatism, -0.28 ± 0.14 D ( P = 0.653). Target-induced astigmatism arithmetic mean (0.82 ± 0.21 D) was greater than that of the surgically induced astigmatism (0.70 ± 0.40 D), resulting in an arithmetic mean difference vector of 0.51 ± 0.27 D with a summated mean at 0.16 D at 20 degrees. The correction index was 0.87, indicating undercorrection. Angle of error arithmetic mean, -1.27 ± 23.27 degrees, indicated good alignment.

CONCLUSIONS

Inputting TCA for calculation of femtosecond laser AK parameters can reduce low amounts of preoperative corneal astigmatism, thereby improving uncorrected vision.

Refractive Astigmatism Outcomes of Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Arcuate Keratotomies Combined with Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery: Two-Year Results

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effectiveness and stability of refractive astigmatism reduction after penetrating femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy performed at the time of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.

METHODS

Non-randomized retrospective data analysis of all patients that underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery with femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy over a 4-year period with a non-toric monofocal intraocular lens (2017-2021) at a tertiary care academic center. Postoperative visual acuity, manifest refraction, and predicted residual refractive error were also recorded at 1 month, 3-6 months, 12-18 months, and 2 years postoperatively. Preoperative keratometric astigmatism was compared to postoperative refractive astigmatism using vector calculations and the ASCRS double-angle plot tool.

RESULTS

This study comprised 266 eyes (179 patients) that met inclusion criteria. The mean preoperative keratometric astigmatism magnitude was 0.99 ± 0.53 D. At 1 month, 3-6 months, 12-18 months, and 2 years postoperatively, the mean refractive cylinder was 0.49 ± 0.45 D, 0.49 ± 0.45 D, 0.55 ± 0.54 D, and 0.52 ± 0.46 D, respectively. Horizontal against-the-rule astigmatism showed a higher tendency toward undercorrection than vertical with-the-rule astigmatism, which had a slightly higher tendency toward overcorrection. With-the-rule astigmatism had smaller difference vectors between target-induced astigmatism and surgically induced astigmatism.

CONCLUSIONS

Femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy performed at the time of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery was an effective option for correcting low-to-moderate corneal astigmatism for up to 2 years.

Femtosecond laser-assisted astigmatic keratotomy versus toric IOL implantation for correcting astigmatism in cataract patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

AIMS

To compare the refractive and visual outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted astigmatic keratotomy (FSAK) and toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for correcting astigmatism in cataract patients.

METHODS

Studies were retrieved from the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Scopus which compared FSAK and toric IOL for astigmatism correction in cataract patients. Outcome measures included postoperative refractive cylinder, correction index, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), the proportion of patients achieving a residual refractive cylinder of 1.00 dioptre or less, target-induced astigmatism (TIA) and surgically induced astigmatism (SIA). The trial sequential analysis (TSA) was used to collect firm evidence supporting our conclusion.

RESULTS

9 studies encompassing 590 participants were analysed. The meta-analysis revealed that toric IOLs could result in less postoperative refractive cylinder and provide better UDVA compared with FSAK. The TSA disclosed strong evidence of lower postoperative refractive cylinder in the toric IOL group compared with that of the FSAK group. FSAK showed a smaller correction index and lower mean TIA and SIA compared with toric IOLs.

CONCLUSIONS

For cataract patients, both FSAK and toric IOLs are effective methods for correcting astigmatism. However, toric IOLs offer less postoperative astigmatism and result in better postoperative UDVA compared with FSAK. In vector analysis of astigmatism, toric IOLs can also produce higher TIA and SIA. Additionally, neither method is associated with severe untreatable complications. Therefore, the conclusion is that toric IOLs are the preferred choice for astigmatism correction in cataract patients and FSAK serves as a viable alternative when toric IOLs are contraindicated.

Update on Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery: A Review

The advent of femtosecond lasers has resulted in a new standard in cataract surgery, intended to overmatch the paradigm of conventional phacoemulsification. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) enables a higher level of reproducibility, precision, accuracy, and customization when performing several steps of cataract (or lens) surgery. Capsulotomy, corneal incisions, lens fragmentation, and arcuate incisions are the main procedures performed using FLACS. As the demand for better refractive outcomes and spectacle independence increases, the features of FLACS are highly relevant, especially when considering the implantation of premium intraocular lenses, such as toric, enhanced depth-of-focus, or multifocal lenses. The present article reviews the state of the art of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract (lens) surgery, contemplating the advantages and limitations of the two types of femtosecond laser pulses available (high and low energy) by evaluating their reported outcomes and complications.

Refractive cataract surgery

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this study to provide an overview of recent publications and opinions in refractive cataract surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS

With the advent of intraocular lenses (IOLs) on different platforms, the surgeon has a wide arena of types of IOL to choose, depending on the patient's visual requirement. Optimization of the tear film, integrating tomography and topography devices for appropriate keratometry values, biometry, use of advanced formulas for IOL power calculation and application of newer IOLs can help achieve target refraction in cases scheduled for cataract surgery. Intraoperative aberrometry can be a useful aid for cataract surgery in postrefractive cases and can help minimize residual postoperative astigmatism.

SUMMARY

Evolvement and rapid advancement of technology allows to impart desired refractive outcomes in most of the cases postcataract surgery. Appropriate preoperative and intraoperative factors should be considered to achieve the desired postoperative outcome.

Effect of femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy versus toric intraocular lens implantation on correction of astigmatism in cataract surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted arcuate keratotomy (FSAK) combined with non-toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation versus Toric IOL (TIOL) implantation in correcting corneal astigmatism in cataract patients.

METHODS

Relevant literature was searched in databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and SinoMed. Data from the included studies were extracted. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare the correction performance of FSAK combined with non-toric IOL implantation and TIOL implantation using postoperative refractive astigmatism, correction index, and uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) outcomes. Publication bias assessment and sensitivity analysis were also performed.

RESULTS

Five comparative studies were ultimately included in the meta-analysis. The TIOL group had smaller postoperative refractive astigmatism and a greater correction index compared to the FSAK group. The mean differences in postoperative refractive astigmatism and correction index between the two groups were - 0.19D (95% CI = 0.12 to 0.26, P < 0.01, I2 = 7%) and - 0.09 (95% CI =  - 0.18 to 0.00, P = 0.04, I2 = 0%), respectively. We found no statistically significant difference in UDVA between the two groups (95% CI =  - 0.01 to 0.11, P = 0.09, I2 = 70%).

CONCLUSIONS

FSAK combined with non-toric IOL implantation was found to be less effective than TIOL implantation in correcting preoperative corneal astigmatism in cataract patients. The difference in the effectiveness of astigmatism correction between the two surgical methods seems to diminish, as the degree of preoperative corneal astigmatism decreases.

Efficacy Comparison Between Steep-Meridian Incision and Non-Steep-Meridian Incision in Implantable Collamer Lens Surgery with Low-to-Moderate Astigmatism

INTRODUCTION

To compare the visual outcomes of astigmatism correction with implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery with low-to-moderate astigmatism through a steep-meridian corneal relaxing incision (SM-CRI) and non-steep-meridian corneal relaxing incision (NSM-CRI).

METHODS

Seventy eyes of 70 patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism who underwent ICL V4c implantation were classified into two groups: SM-CRI and NSM-CRI. Refractive outcomes and vector analysis were evaluated preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

At the postoperative 6 month visit, all participants in both groups achieved an uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 20/20 or better. The difference vector (DV) showed that the residual astigmatism in the SM-CRI group was much smaller than that in the NSM-CRI group (P = 0.021), and the correction index (CI) was 0.84 ± 0.30 and 0.67 ± 0.35 for the SM-CRI and NSM-CRI groups, respectively, with a significant statistical difference (P = 0.013). Approximately 71% of eyes in the SM-CRI group had an angle of error (AE) within ± 15°, whereas 55% of eyes in the NSM-CRI group were within that range. The absolute mean AE was 10.13 ± 14.57° in the SM-CRI group, compared with 23.88 ± 28.22° in the NSM-CRI group (P = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

SM-CRI can alleviate corneal astigmatism and decrease the cylindrical diopter of the ICL, thus improving postoperative visual quality compared with NSM-CRI.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: Update and perspectives

Cataract surgery is among the most frequently performed surgical procedures worldwide and has a tremendous impact on patients' quality of life. Phacoemulsification (PCS) is accepted as a standard of care; its technique has continuously evolved and already achieved good anatomical, visual, and refractive outcomes. Lasers in ophthalmology are widely used in clinical practice, femtosecond lasers (FSLs) for corneal surgery in particular. It was natural to assess the usefulness of FSL in cataract surgery as this technology was within reach. Indeed, precise and reproducible cuttings provided by FSL platforms could improve standardization of care and limit the risk associated with the human element in surgery and provide a step toward robot-assisted surgery. After docking and planning the procedure, femtosecond lasers are used to perform corneal incisions, capsulorhexis, lens fragmentation, and arcuate incisions in an automated manner. A well-constructed corneal incision is primordial as it offers safety during the procedure, self-seals afterward, and influences the refractive outcome. Capsulorhexis size, centration, and resistance to shearing influence the surgery, intraocular lens (IOL) centration and stability, and posterior capsular opacification formation. Lens fragmentation is where most of the energy is delivered into the eye, and its amount influences endothelial cell damage and potential damage to other ocular structures. The arcuate incisions offer an additional opportunity to influence postoperative astigmatism. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) has been a topic of research in many studies and clinical trials that attempted to assess its potential benefits and cost-effectiveness over PCS and is the subject of this mini-review.