Comparison of different methods of correcting astigmatism in cataract surgery

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Astigmatism causes a decrement in visual acuity, and deterioration in visual quality.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to compare clear corneal incision (CCI) in the steepest meridian, opposed clear corneal incision (OCCI) and toric intraocular lens implantation methods for the correction of astigmatism in cataract surgery.

METHODS

Total of 93 preoperative patients with the rule corneal astigmatism (between 1.00-3.00 D)underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery are retrospectively included in this study. Whole patients are divided into three groups of equal number of patients of 31 by considering the astigmatism correcting methods that are as follows. Group 1 consists of patients underwent CCI on the steepest meridian, group 2 consists of the patients underwent paired OCCI, and group 3 consists of those with toric intraocular lens implantation. The preoperative and postoperative 3rd month uncorrected distance visual acuity, refraction and, keratometry values, and surgically induced astigmatism values calculated by Alpins method are recorded.

RESULTS

The age, preoperative and postoperative 3rd month spherical, spherical equivalent refraction and keratometry values of the groups are similar (p > 0.05). The preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity values are similar in whole groups, postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity values are the highest in group 1, and lowest in group 3 (p = 0.85, p = 0.02, respectively). The preoperative and postoperative 3rd month mean cylinder refraction values are -1.86 D, -1.00 D in group 1, -1.77 D, -0.70 D in group 2, and -1.95 D, -0.40 D in group 3. There is a statistically significant difference among the groups (p = 0.01). The surgically induced astigmatism values are statistically different among the groups [it was 0.46 ± 0.21 in group 1, 0.91 ± 0.44 in group 2, 0.33 ± 0.18 in group 3 (p < 0.001, respectively)].

CONCLUSION

This study indicated that; CCI, paired OCCI, and toric intraocular lens implantation should be preferred and performed for the steepest meridian in low D, middle D, and high D astigmatism patients, respectively. CCI can easily be applied for low to medium D without needing extra skills and tools. On the other hand, toric intraocular lens implantation is a better option for a high astigmatism with proper and accurate planning before the surgery.

Assessment of the Choroidal Vascular Structure in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

PURPOSE

To evaluate the choroidal vascular structure in cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

METHODS

This prospective study included 38 eyes of 19 patients with MIS-C and 60 eyes of 30 healthy participants. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging was performed at 1 month after diagnosis in the MIS-C group. Using enhanced depth imaging OCT, choroidal thickness was measured in the subfoveal, nasal, and temporal quadrants at 500 and 1,500 µm distances from the fovea (SCT, N500CT, T500CT, N1500CT, and T1500CT, respectively). The luminal, stromal, and total choroidal areas were evaluated with the binarization method in ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health). The ratio of the luminal area to the total choroidal area was determined as the choroidal vascular index (CVI).

RESULTS

The age and sex distributions of the two groups without any ophthalmologic pathology were similar (P > .05). The choroidal thickness values in all quadrants except for T1500CT were similar between the two groups (P > .05). T1500CT was significantly lower in the MIS-C group (P = .02). The luminal choroidal area was 1.04 ± 0.10 mm2 in the MIS-C group and 1.26 ± 0.24 mm2 in the healthy control group (P < .001), and the CVI values were 0.52 ± 0.04 and 0.57 ± 0.09, respectively (P = .01). The stromal and total choroidal area values did not significantly differ between the two groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to evaluate CVI in patients with MIS-C. It was observed that the choroidal vascular structure could be affected in the early period of MIS-C, as shown by a decrease in the CVI value and luminal vascular area. OCT can be used to monitor ocular vascular changes in these patients. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2024;61(2):120-126.].

Comparison of dominant- and non-dominant-hand cateract surgery outcomes by a single surgeon

PURPOSE

To compare dominant and non-dominant hand phacoemulsification surgery outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective, single-center study included 300 patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery by a single, right-handed surgeon. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the surgeon used his dominant or non-dominant hand during surgery. Right eye operations were performed with the right hand, and left eye operations were performed with the left hand. Detailed ophthalmological examinations were performed on all patients preoperatively and postoperatively. Intraoperative phacoemulsification parameters, the presence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative refractive errors, visual acuity, and surgically induced astigmatism values were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

There were 171 patients in the dominant hand phacoemulsification group and 129 patients in the non-dominant hand phacoemulsification group. The distributions of age, gender, systemic diseases, and lens opacification were similar between the groups (p>0.05, for all). No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of total operation time, phaco power, ellips fx, or ultrasonic time (p>0.05, for all). There was also no significant difference in relation to intraoperative and postoperative complication distributions, postoperative third-month refractive errors, visual acuity, or surgically induced astigmatism values (p>0.05, for all).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that cataract surgery performed by a single surgeon can be effectively and safely performed using both hands on patients in a real operating theater environment. More objective results can be obtained with surgeries performed by a larger number of experienced surgeons.

The effect of Nd:YAG Laser applied in the posterior capsule opacification on retinal and choroidal structures

PURPOSE

To assess the effect of neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd-YAG) laser procedure on the choroid and retina in patients who developed posterior capsular opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery.

METHODS

In this study, 32 eyes of 30 patients who underwent Nd:YAG laser treatment for PCO were evaluated. Visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), central macular thickness (CMT) with optical coherence tomography device (OCT), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) were measured. Choroidal vascular index (CVI) was calculated from HD line images obtained by spectral domain OCT with the software Image J.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients participating in the study was 60.1 ± 8.9 years. There was no significant difference in IOP, CMT, RNFL, GCL, IPL and SCT values ​​in all comparisons before and after laser (p>0.05 for all values). While Nd:YAG laser pretreatment CVI was 63.2 ± 3.2%, it was 66.8 ± 2.9% at 1 week and 67.1 ± 2.6% at 1 month after laser treatment. A significant difference was detected in the comparison of pre-laser CVI and post-laser 1 week and 1 month CVI (p<0.05 for all values).

DISCUSSION

CVI was found to be significantly higher in the post-laser period in patients who underwent Nd:YAG laser. As far as the author knows, this study is the first research in the literature to evaluate this relationship. CVI can be used to evaluate choroidal vascular changes after Nd:YAG laser.

Comparison of pain between first and second operated eyelids after upper eyelid blepharoplasty

Purpose

To evaluate and compare intraoperative pain during upper eyelid blepharoplasty (UEB) between on first and second operated eyelids.

Methods

In this cross-sectional observational study, the patients were divided into 2 groups, with group 1 representing 40 patients whose surgery was first started on the right and group 2 representing the other 40 patients who started surgery on the left first. UEB was performed to all patients by the same surgeon under the same and equal amount of local anesthesia. Degree of pain felt during surgery on first and second operated eyelid was evaluated with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Wong Baker Facial Pain Expression Scale (WBFPES) of all patients immediately after surgery and was compared using paired t-test.

Results

There were 20 female and 20 male patients in both groups. In group 1, the VAS value was 2.8 ± 1.5, WBFPES value was 2.7 ± 1.6 UEB in the first operated eyelid and the VAS value was 4.1 ± 1.8, WBFPES value was 3.9 ± 1.8 UEB in the second operated eyelid. A significant difference was found between pains felt during first and second operated eyelid UEB regarding VAS and WBFPES values, respectively in group 1 (p=0.003 and p=0.002). In group 2, the VAS value was 1.9 ± 1.0, WBFPES value was 2.0 ± 1.0 UEB in the first operated eyelid and the VAS value was 3.0 ± 1.5, WBFPES value was 2.8 ± 1.6 UEB in the second operated eyelid. A significant difference was found between pains felt during first operated and second operated eyelid UEB regarding VAS and WBFPES values, respectively in group 2 (p=0.009 and p=0.005).

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate which eyelid is more painful during surgery in UEB. Patients tend to feel more pain during surgery on the second operated eyelid. Therefore, surgeons should consider using local anesthetics with more volume or longer duration in the second operating eyelid in light of this information and patients should be given detailed information about pain.