Use of small incisions to control induced astigmatism and inflammation following cataract surgery.

A series of 55 small incision (3 mm) silicone-implanted cataract cases closed with horizontal sutures and a concurrent series of 48 6 mm to 7 mm incision poly(methyl methacrylate)-implanted cases closed with radial incisions were compared retrospectively for surgically induced astigmatism. At two to three weeks after surgery, the mean surgically induced astigmatism in the poly(methyl methacrylate) group was more than twice as high as in the silicone group (2.27 D vs 1.07 D, P less than .01). In addition, a series of 41 small incision cases and a concurrent series of 61 cases with 6 mm to 7 mm incisions were compared for inflammation as measured by an FC-1000 laser flare/cell meter. The larger incision cases had significantly higher average cell counts at one day and one week postoperatively (P = .005 and P = .03, respectively) and had significantly higher average flare measurement at one day (P = .01) than the smaller incision cases.