Tayyaba Ayub, Shoaib Ahmad, Hannan Jamil, Naeem Rustum.
Comparison of Pre & Post Operative Astigmatism in Extracapsular Cataract Extraction at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore.
Ophthalmol Update Jan ;15(3):261-4.

Background: Cataract surgery has undergone revolutionary changes but the traditional extra capsular cataract extraction is still in practiced in the developing countries. The basic aim of ophthalmic surgeon through surgery is to give best uncorrected or corrected visual acuity to the patient after cataract surgery. However sometimes significant postoperative astigmatism can impair visual results and causes issues for patients and doctors also. Objective: To compare the changes in postoperative astigmatism after extra capsular cataract extraction and pattern of astigmatism after surgery. Method: A preoperative study of 40 cases undergoing extra capsular cataract extraction was conducted at Fatima Memorial Hospital. The cases were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively on 1st day, 1st week and 6th week with respect to induced astigmatism. Result: The changes in Keratometric astigmatism was very significant after first day and first week of surgery as compared to preoperative astigmatism. The mean power of cylinder preoperatively was -1.1250 and 1st day after surgery was -3.4738 as well as after 1st week was -3.0188 which are significantly higher than preoperative value of astigmatism . Axis was 65% with the rule after 1st week. After 6 weeks (after suture removal) astigmatism became relatively reduced but not much the mean value was -1.3250. Conclusion: In extra capsular cataract extraction surgery astigmatism increases at first because of sutures but with the passage of time decreases gradually and after suture removal astigmatism become reduce but does not reverse back fully as compare to pre operative astigmatism. It concluded that ECCE causes astigmatism which is continued to change afterwards, especially in the position of axis.

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