OUTCOME OF SMALL-INCISION CATARACT SURGERY AND PHACOEMULSIFICATION IN TERM OF VISUAL ACUITY AND POST OPERATIVE ASTIGMATISM.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the outcome of Small-incision cataract surgery and Phacoemulsification in term of visual acuity and post operative astigmatism

Methods: A retrospective study carried out on 100 eyes of 100 patients from January 2017 to June 2017 at tertiary care hospital. All patients with senile cataract (up to grade IV) operated with SICS or Phacoemulsification were included. Records on all examinations including visual acuity, refraction, biometry, slit lamp biomicroscopy and fundoscopy from the period before surgery up to 6 weeks post-operatively were obtained.

Result: The present study reports clinical outcomes of Small-incision cataract surgery and Phacoemulsification up to 6 weeks. Out of 50 patients 34 (68%) patients in the phacoemulsification group and 31 (62.%) of 50 patients in the small-incision group had uncorrected visual acuity better than or equal to 6/18 at 1 week. 41(82%) patients of the phacoemulsification group and 35 (70.%) patients of the small-incision group were better than or equal to 6/18 at the 6-week follow-up for presenting visual activity. Visual acuity improved to 6/18 with best correction in 49 patients (98 %) and 48 (96%) patients respectively. The mode of astigmatism was 0.5 diopters (D) for the phacoemulsification group and 1.5 D for the small-incision group, and the average astigmatism was 1.0 D and 1.3 D, respectively.

Conclusions: Both the phacoemulsification and the small-incision techniques are safe and effective for visual rehabilitation of cataract patients, although phacoemulsification gives better uncorrected visual acuity and faster recovery