Limbal relaxing incisions with cataract surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs) for correcting corneal astigmatism during cataract surgery. Setting: Cullen Eye Institute, Houston, Texas, USA. Methods: In 12 eyes of 11 patients, cataract surgery was combined with LRIs. The LRIs were made according to a modified Gills nomogram and were based on preoperative corneal astigmatism determined with standard keratometry and computerized videokeratography (EyeSys Corneal Analysis System™ Version 3.2). Results: The mean preoperative keratometric cylinder was 2.46 ± 0.81 diopters (D). At 1 month postoperatively, mean arithmetic reduction in keratometric cylinder was 1.12 ± 0.74 D, and the with-the-wound (WTW) change (calculated by Holladay, Cravy, Koch vector analysis formula) was -0.70 ± 0.44. From 1 day to 1 month postoperatively, there was 0.55 D of WTW regression with minimal change in the mean cylindrical axis. There were no overcorrections. Conclusion: Limbal relaxing incisions are a practical, simple, and forgiving approach to the correction of astigmatism during cataract surgery.