Evaluation of conventional selective suture cutting in astigmatism following cataract surgery with simple analysis

Abstract

We planned this study to investigate the optimum time to put into practice conventional selective suture cutting method, which has been used world-wide, easy to do and cheap technique for astigmatism occurred after cataract surgery. In this retrospective study, 136 eyes of 130 cases, all have no previous surgery or another eye disease except senile cataract and controlled regularly for 6 months were divided into three groups. Early suture cutting technique was used in group I, routine suture cutting technique (in 2nd or 3rd month) was used in group II and no suture cutting technique was used in group III. Postoperatively after 1 week, in all groups there were significantly high astigmatism (group I: 7.23±1.72D; group II: 6.65±1.27D, group III: 6.87±2.1D, p<0.05), those have similar astigmatism before the surgery in all groups (group I: 0.56±0.51 D; group II: 0.65±1.27 D, group III: 0.67±0.47 D). Postoperatively third and sixth months astigmatism had fell down in all groups. Although there were more decreases in astigmatism in group I and group II than group III, (postoperatively 6th month, group I: 1.98±1.76D, group II: 2.52±1.86D, group III: 3.67±1.82D, p<0.05); the difference between group I and group II was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In our opinion that easy, practical and harmless conventional selective suture cutting technique can be applied as early 1 month after cataract surgery for disturbing from astigmatism which occurred postoperatively.